


Healing: A She-Ra PoP Fanfiction

by Panserbjoern



Series: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Multi, Post-Canon, Romance, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25749865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panserbjoern/pseuds/Panserbjoern
Summary: A great many fans, me included, found themselves craving a little more when they finished the last season of Stevensons masterpiece, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.Inspired by the show and its fandom, I want to here give my own interpretation of what happened on Etheria after the credits rolled; resolving some plot hooks that were left open, find out what happened to some of our beloved characters, and of course give it all a healthy sprinkling of adorable dorks madly in love with each other.There will be angst, there will be drama, but once the dust settles I hope to have it all wrapped up in a happy ending.And without further ado, please enjoy the first chapter, set a few months after the defeat of Horde Prime and the release of Etherias magic:
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), Kyle/Lonnie/Rogelio (She-Ra)
Series: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867873
Comments: 26
Kudos: 66





	1. The best laid plans of cats and women

The cold light of the Etherian sun shone in through the grand windows of the bedroom, dancing off the many blown glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling into a virtual kaleidoscope across the walls. Not so to be obnoxious or distracting, but just enough to beautify and faintly illuminate the room at sunrise.  
By Bright Moon standards It was a relatively utilitarian and sparsely furnished room. The kind that would belong to a practical, almost ascetic person. That, or someone who had only recently moved in and had not taken the time to put their personal touch on it. In this particular instance it was a bit of column A and a bit of column B.

 _Her room_ , Adora thought before correcting herself. _No, not hers. Their room._  
It still did not feel… real, yet there it was. Catras steady breathing, her warm body pressed up against Adoras. They were together now, and no dark sorcerers, warlords or intergalactic cult leaders would ever tear them apart again.  
Today's schedule on the other hand almost certainly would. The Solstice had snuck up on them and there was so much that still needed doing. Errands to run, the last few gifts to procure, and of course paying a visit to Madame Razz like she had promised.

Gingerly she started extracting herself from Catras embrace, slowly pushing away so as to not disturb her sleep. An entangled tail here, a hand tightly grasping her own there.  
Then, she felt that very hand tighten softly around hers, and saw two eyes flutter open in front of her. One a pale yellow, the other a cold turquoise.  
A few months ago those eyes would have been narrowed and filled with hatred, spite and scorn. Now they were soft, full of love and barely contained mischievousness. 

“Hey Adora…” Catra purred as she bared a canine in a sly smile. 

Adora blushed and smiled back awkwardly. “How long have you been awake?”

“Since you started moving around. You’re literally the least sneaky person I know,” Catra replied, shifting forward until their foreheads touched. “But also the cutest when you try. I didn’t have the heart to interrupt.”

“Do you want to get up too? We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

“I would like to, but Melog looks so… comfortable!” Catra said as she gestured to the large, feline-bodied being that shared the bed with them, resting their triangular head on her knees as their ethereal mane slowly billowed in the air. “I cannot move. How could I possibly disturb this kind of bliss and serenity?”

Adora cocked an eyebrow as she fought to suppress her laughter. “So that’s your master plan? A lifetime as Melogs pillow?”

“Yes, this is my life now,” Catra said, sliding back and threw up an arm before her forehead as melodramatically as she could muster. “You must bring me sustenance from now on. That and cuddles. Lots and lots of cuddles.” 

At this point neither could keep it back any longer, and Melog raised their head in mild indignation as Adoras hearty laughter mixed with Catras loud chortle brought them out of their slumber. Adora bent over and gave Catra a quick kiss on the cheek before she slid out from under the blanket and stood up on the cold floor. 

“Check in by the kitchen in fifteen. I’ll cook up some oatmeal pancakes for us.” Adora said as she threw on a bathrobe over her nightwear and stepped into a pair of slippers.

“Aye-aye, Force Captain A-dork-a.” Catra responded with a mock salute before she snuggled further back under the blanket and let herself drift back into sleep.  
  


* * *

“Thought you said fifteen?” Catra said as she shambled into the kitchen close to an hour later, just as Adora flipped a couple fresh pancakes aside onto a plate and took the pan off the stove.

“Yes I did. But on the other hand, I know you. I especially know how well you deal with mornings, and punctuality, and schedules…” Adora replied, grinning, as she brought a plate stacked high with steaming hot pancakes over to the breakfast table.  
She enjoyed these little morning rituals, far away from the bustle of the main dining hall. Here in this quiet wing of the castle they could all just ease into a new day together.

“Sparkles and Arrow-Boy joining us?” Catra asked as she dove into one of the cupboards and drowsily started retrieving plates and mugs.

“Yes, should be here any moment now. Jam?”

“Sure. Got any of that really nice one, the one with the small purple berries?” Catra asked as her hand closed around her own mug. It was orange, somewhat lopsided and on the side crude letters in black enamel paint spelled out ‘ _Wildcat_ ’. She loved that mug more than she cared to admit. Admit to anyone not Scorpia that is.

“Moonberry jam, got it.” Adora said as she brought a selection of jars over from the cold room and dumped them on the table. “Come on now, while they’re still warm!”

“At least something in this castle is.” Catra said sourly as she brought over the tableware. The big, fuzzy bathrobe and wool booties she had thrown on were proving not quite up to the task of keeping away the winter chill that was seeping through the stonework.

“That’s just the season. Not much you can do about it but hunker down by a roaring fireplace next to someone you care very much about.”

“That sounds nice.” Catra smiled as she sat down and scooted her chair up next to Adora, throwing a glance over at the nearby door as it opened and two very familiar figures joined them in the kitchen. 

“Good morning best friend squad,” Bow chirped as he found his seat by the end of the table and started stacking pancakes over onto his plate. “I’m absolutely famished. You’re a lifesaver Adora!”

“Good morning Bow, Sparkles,” Catra said with a knowing grin. “Must’ve been a long and tiresome night for you since you’re so hungry.”

A faint blush raked over both Bow and Glimmer, though the Queen of Bright Moon quickly shocked it off and struck back with her own playful jab.

“Yes it was. Lots of noise keeping us awake, loud screams of joy and giggling coming from across the hall. Melog was also out pacing before you let him back in again.”

This time it was Adora and Catra that turned bright red before disarming laughter slowly started spreading around the table.

“Alright you got me. The castle could really use some thicker walls though, both for the cold and the noise.” Catra said, wiping away a tear of embarrassed laughter from the corner of her eye.

“Duly noted, but it might be awhile before we can get any masons and carpenters for that,” Glimmer stated. “There is still so much rebuilding left to do all across Etheria, and that must take priority.”

Catras heart sank, “Yes, of course.” She replied weakly as she averted her gaze, silently cursing herself for having managed in a single sentence to both come across as selfish and also remind everyone and herself of the destruction she had once been responsible for.  
Thankfully Adora was right there to break up the awkwardness, in her own way. _Dummy. Her Dummy._

“Since you’re cold all the time you really should spend some time getting some new clothes when you head into town today,” She suggested between stuffing the last mouthfuls of pancake into her mouth.  
“Instead of, you know, pilfering from my wardrobe all the time.”

“Yeah, about that. I was thinking, perhaps I should hold off until tomorrow so we could go together instead?” Catra started feeling increasingly tense, as if the walls of the castle were closing in around her, then she felt Adoras hand grasp hers under the table and give it a reassuring squeeze.

“Catra, you can do this,” Adora said plainly; a weary but sympathetic smile on her face, “I wrote up a combined shopping list and battle plan for you yesterday. Want me to get it for you?”

“Of course you did,” Catra said as she mustered a smile back. “Thanks hun, I could use it.”

Another reassuring squeeze and smile back and Adora left the room, leaving the three others at the tail end of their own pancake stacks.

“So, what was that about?” Bow asked as he generously slathered another pancake with jam. “There is something bothering you, right?”

Catra sighed and gathered her thoughts for an answer. It had not been that long ago that she would have buried any such insecurities deep, deep within; but things had changed a lot since then. 

“It’s just something Adora and I talked about.” She said.

“Okay, you don’t have-”

“No, it’s alright. It’s just being alone, out there. I’ve.... I’ve hurt so many people, burned so many bridges. For many Etherians I was just as much a figurehead of conflict and destruction as Hordak ever was. What I did since, for Etheria, for Adora, it does not erase that, and being sorry won’t fix everything.

“I don’t expect their forgiveness, I’m past hoping for that, but I want something. Closure perhaps? For people not to recoil with fear when they see me, for them to realize that whoever I was back then is not who I am any more.  
And I can’t do that if I continue to hide behind She-Ra. I have to go out there, meet people and let them see me as I am, even if it’ll be rough and ugly.”

Bow went quiet, contemplative. It was Glimmer that broke the silence, “Healing hurts. It always does. Just know that whatever happens we’ll be here for you.” Her smile was both genuine and sad.

“Ain’t that the truth. Healing, and everything else,” Catra said. “Thanks though, I might need it.”

“You might actually be surprised by how quickly they come around. Just these last few weeks there’s been a ton of former Horde soldiers trickling into Bright Moon seeking refuge, and with very few exceptions my subjects have welcomed them with open arms.”

“That does not exactly work in my favour you know!” She exclaimed, knitting her hands behind her head as she quietly bonked her face into the table.  
“There was very little love for me in the Horde by the end. I ran them all ragged, put them in danger and afforded them little rest. The very fact that they all hate me is probably what’s unifying the Horde grunts and the Bright Moon townsfolk right now!”

“Catra, don’t overthink it,” Bow interrupted. “It won’t be easy, but you need to take it one step at a time. If you backslide then that’s okay, but you must keep moving.”

“Okay, I’ll try.” Catra said as she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes.

“Just got to lean on that winning personality of yours!” Bow continued, grinning. “That mix of abrasive and cute you do best, like sandpaper with animal prints on.”

“I am NOT cute!” Catra laughed, silently thanking Bow and his disarming humour as she grabbed the last pancake and flung it at him.

“Flapjack assault!” Bow ducked and the pancake, thankfully jam-free, stuck to the wall behind him. “The worst kind of assault!”

“Hey, no food fights in my castle!” Glimmer shouted disapprovingly as she drew out a magical rune in the air and carefully started to levitate the pancake back to the breakfast table.

“Sorry Sparkles. Won’t happen again, probably,” Catra said as she cleaned off her end of the table and deposited it into the sink.  
“I better go check on Adora, make sure she hasn’t gotten tangled up in the string she uses for all those flowcharts. Catch you guys at dinner?”

“Count on it. And Catra?”

“Hmm?”

“Best of luck, Horde Scum.” That supportive smile again, and Bow also gave her a thumbs-up as he nabbed the floating pancake from the air and brought it down to his plate.

“Thanks.” Catra smiled awkwardly as she slipped out the door.

* * *

Melog was still snoozing off in the bed when Catra got back to their room, but Adora was very much up and about, pacing back and forth in front of a massive flowchart that covered half a wall, moving sheets of paper back and forth while mumbling to herself.

“I hope I’m not expected to memorize all this.” Catra said as she embraced Adora from behind and let her head rest on her girlfriends broad shoulders.

“Hmm? No that won’t be necessary. I’ve condensed it into a few bullet points for you,” Adora replied absent-mindedly. “Generic shopping list, a few icebreaker greetings, what to do if someone mentions the war-”

“I still wish you could come with me, like you’ve done before,” Catra said, her voice steadier than she felt. “You’ve seen how they look at me, but they don’t say what they feel when you’re there.”

“I’m sorry Catra,” Adoras hands joined over Catras, holding her tight. “I know this is hard, but I would not ask you to do it if there was a better way, or if I didn’t know how strong you are.”

“I know. Still sucks.” Catra sighed, closing her eyes as she let herself enjoy the feeling of Adoras heartbeat next to her. “So, what’s on the shopping list?”

“Mostly what little remains of the Solstice presents and a couple other errands. Here, take this.” Adora grabbed a piece of paper and handed it over.  
  


The note was structured into bullet-points, written in Adoras fast and messy style, and it read:

  * Pick up Bows present at the tabletop game store
  * Find present for Scorpia
  * Post office. Mail letters and parcels.
  * Buy yourself some clothes!  
  




“Seems simple enough,” Catra said as she let go of Adora and skimmed through the list. She had in mind to add to it, but that would have to wait til later. “Bows were those miniatures, right?”

“Yes, I needed to have them custom made. He already has most of the popular ones that they keep in stock.” Adora said as she retrieved a heavy pouch from the table and handed it over as well.

“Adora, you shouldn’t.” Catra protested as she heard the telltale jinge and realized it was filled to the brim with coins.

“Well, you need to pay for what you buy and I know you don’t have a single coin to your name. This is from the allowance I get here at Bright Moon, for my services as She-Ra”

“Yes I know I won’t get it for free, but it's... wrong. I’ve done nothing to earn this. What do you think the people of Bright Moon will feel when their would-be conqueror comes strolling down the street loaded with gold? Paid for by their taxes?”

“Consider it part of the reward for saving Etheria, for saving She-Ra.” Adora said with a grin. “They can think what they will, but that is the earnest truth of it.”

“Okay, fine,” Catra relented, putting the pouch and list down on the nearby table. “That’s not going to fly more than once though.”

“Don’t worry, there will actually be an announcement at tonight's banquet that should clear up a few things. This is just to get you by until then.” Adora said, poorly veiled excitement ringing through her voice.

“Announcement? About what?” Catra asked, her ears flicking up as curiosity overtook dread.

“Wait and see love, I think you’ll like it.” Adora said as she lifted one of Catras hands from her waist and gave it a tender kiss.

“You’re no fun…”

“I’m all the fun,” Adora twisted around, giggling as they embraced each other, lips meeting awkwardly, Catras hand brushing through her hair. “And I will prove that to you tonight.”

“Can’t wait.” Catra replied, her voice almost a whisper.

“Now though, you have your mission Catra. Might want to get suited up.” Adora freed an arm from the embrace, grabbed the curtains of the nearby window and flicked them aside. “You have a date with winter.”

Outside was pure white. The woods draped in a thick sheet of fresh snow, the towering mountains crowned in ivory. Even on the river a thin sheet of ice was starting to form along the banks.

“Oh no.” Catra groaned.

* * *

  
  


“Layers. That’s how you trap heat by your body.” Adora explained as she helped pull a red, poofy wool sweater down over Catras head; the static crackling as it slid over the fur.

“More layers and I won’t be able to put my arms down again.” Catra mumbled as she started rearranging the sweater as best she could. It was huge on her. “Did Castaspella knit this for She-Ra or something?”

“Possibly. Now, wool won’t do anything against wind chill, so this goes on top.” Adora tossed a maroon winter jacket over before diving back into her dresser

“Got my colours at least.”

“What can I say, you left an impression. Particularly that sharp suit you wore at Frostas ball.” Adora said, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

“You didn’t look half bad yourself.” Catra replied with a smirk as she let her thoughts wander. “I look forward to dancing with you again.”

“You and me both love. Now, I don’t have much to offer you in the way of footwear. Save my spare pair of boots that are almost worn out.” Adora said as she continued to rummage through the dresser.

“They’ll do fine,” Catra replied as she buttoned up the jacket. “You know I never really cared much for shoes. Slows me down when I’m fighting or running.” 

Adora turned to face her. “I hope you won’t need to do either anymore.” Her voice cracked slightly, with sadness for how far fallen Catra once had been, and with compassion, pride and love for how far she had come since.

“Yeah, well we’ll see how that goes today.” Catra muttered before she caught Adoras eyes and her pout mellowed. “Thanks hun. I will try not to.”

“That’s the spirit. Now, come here and kiss me, Dummy.” Adora said as she gathered her hands behind her back and lifted her chin in an invitation. 

_That stupid grin, always made her heart skip a beat._

“Pretty sure ‘Dummy’ is one of mine.” Catra purred in reply as she stepped forward and embraced Adora, their lips meeting softly, deeply.

“Yes, the ‘Dummy’ is yours,” Adora replied with a grin once they pulled out of the kiss. “But do you know what’s one of mine?”

“How about you tell me?”

“HatCat!” Adora laughed as her hands shot forth from her back and pulled a red beanie down over Catras head.


	2. Out in the cold

The outdoors was just as cold and miserable as Catra had expected. The towering peaks surrounding the valley doing their very best to block the sun on its journey across the sky, and the clouds rolling in from the west catching almost every ray of light and warmth that managed to sneak past. Thankfully Adora’s insistence on playing dress up was alleviating most of her discomfort. Thorough, as always.

At least the road down from the castle into the town had been cleared. She guessed by some kind of draft animal; the path was much too narrow for the giant, smoke-belching machines the Horde kept for such purposes. Not that it ever snowed much in the Fright Zone to start with. Usually it had just come down as rain in various degrees of acidity.

She caught herself wondering how much had changed since she was last there. The spread of vegetation and life as the magic of the Heart was set free, the care and nurture now given by its new inhabitants, she had doubts she’d even recognise it.

Maybe that was a good thing. The Fright Zone held so many memories for her, and most of them were bad. She was more than ready to let them fade into obscurity and replace them with new ones that hurt less. Scorpias ball was still a long time off though. Her current concerns were more immediate.

She reached down into one of her pockets and retrieved the shopping list, skimming through it once again and mentally adding the fifth item to it. _Find something for Adora._

Her gut wrenched. She’d known Adora for most of her life, why was this so hard?

_Because you want this to be something nice and beautiful, something to represent how you’ve both changed and found back together again._

She threw another glance over her shoulder, scanning the skies around Bright Moon castle for any sign of a blonde girl astride an obnoxious, flying horse. Still nothing.

“The grander the gift, the deeper the love? I do not think that is how it works friend.” Melog spoke, interrupting her train of thoughts as they bounded past her and dived into another snowdrift, burying themselves in a fountain of white.

“No, I know.” Catra scratched her neck, a shiver running down her spine as her fingers ran over the scar. “I never was able to get her anything nice in the Fright Zone either; nothing aside from extra ration bars or funny-shaped bits of Horde bot internals. She was always happy with it anyway. Aside from that one time I dumped a dead mouse on her bunk, that one did not get funny until later.”

The top of the snowdrift burst open as Melog poked their head up. “Peculiar. How did she come to enjoy that gift?”

“Oh we got rid of it immediately. She just liked to bring it up in conversation and joke about it later.” Catra said as she reminisced about a time long past. “I didn’t like that much, her making fun of and laughing at me. I had enough people telling me I was useless and a failure, I didn’t need her for that.”

Melog extracted themself from the snow, shaking off the snow before falling in stride alongside Catra. “That’s sad. Did she ever realize she was hurting you?”

“I don’t think so, not before she left the Horde anyways.” Catra said, letting her thoughts wander again. _Then things got a lot more complicated. A lot._

“Adora has a good heart. Just like you do.” Melog said, underlining his point with a soft shoulder-check.

“No, I don’t!” Catra protested, almost snarling. “If I did I would have-”

“One day you will see it yourself too.” Melog interrupted her. “In the meantime I shall do my best to remind you.”

Catra tried to formulate a response, but it died in her mouth and they continued walking in silence. The path wound back and forth, towering cliffs on their left, a long fall down to the frozen river on the right. Melog would occasionally bend their head and scoop up a mouthful of snow, which they then proceeded to enthusiastically chew asunder.

“Did you ever get snow on Krytis?” Catra asked, genuinely curious.

“A long time ago, yes.” Melog said. “Before the Skyfolk came and everything changed, and the World Eater destroyed what was left.”

“Prime.” Just uttering the name made the fur on her back bristle slightly..

“Yes. After he left the air would still get cold, but no rain or snow ever fell anymore.” Melog said, an uncharacteristic sadness lining their voice.

“He was a monster. But he is gone now. He cannot hurt anyone ever again.”

Melog raised their head and looked at her. “He still hurts you sometimes, does he not?”

Catra sighed deeply before she responded. “Not when I’m awake anymore, but the nightmares are still there. Less frequent, but they happen.”

“I know.” Melog stated simply. Neither saw the need to bring up how it was usually Adora and Melog together that were there and helped her get through them.

Finally the familiar figure they were waiting for appeared in the skies above Bright Moon. White and gold, brighter than the sun itself as they continued to gain height with every beat of Swift Winds wings.

“Show offs.” Catra muttered through a smile. Once she had hated She-Ra for what she represented. A strong Adora, one that didn’t need Catra anymore and had rejected her for some weird ego trip where she could run off and play the hero. It was only much later she realized they were just different sides of the same coin, that for all her might and shine she was still Adora, with all that entailed.

Suddenly Swift Wind halted his ascent, banked, rolled over and went into a dive, wings folded in as they gathered speed, faster and faster.

“Looks like they’ve spotted us!” Melog said as they started bouncing with excitement.

Catras smile started to fade as she watched them plummet towards the icy ground like a rock. _That’s far enough. Pull up you dummy, pull up!_

As if someone had mercifully read her thoughts, Swift Winds wings burst open, the air audibly whistled through his feathers as their descent halted and both steed and rider rocketed towards Catra and Melog, gliding only a handful of feet above the ground.

“You absolute idiot!” Catra laughed as relief washed over her. 

She-Ra just smiled back; that dumb grin that never failed to make her heart beat a little faster. What little anger and worry Catra had felt evaporated like snow before the sun, and as her girlfriend blew past in a gust of wind and snow she was jumping up and down, punching the air as she cheered her on. 

“I love you! You big, dumb show off!” Catra cried as she twirled, following them with her eyes as Swift Wind crossed the river and vanished over the Whispering Woods. 

Then her eyes dipped down onto the path in front of her, and the laughter died in her throat. Maybe twenty yards further down the road an elderly couple that had been heading the other way stared at her dumbfounded. 

“Uh, good morning…” Catra said, raising a hand in an awkward greeting.

One of the old gentlemen gave her a warm smile as the couple started walking towards her again. “Good morning to you too Miss.” He said before turning to the man at his side. “Honey, I wish you still said nice things like that to me.”

“Aww shucks, I do love you too, you dumb old geezer.” The other said, giving his companions hand a loving squeeze as they walked past Catra and Melog. “And good morning to you too!”

Resisting the urge to dig herself down into the nearest snow drift, Catra mustered a smile as they passed. Flicking up the collar of Adoras coat to hide what she assumed were glowing-red cheeks she called for Melog to follow and continued trudging down towards the town that was now starting to become visible around the twisting bends of the cliffs.

Catra resolved to make the post office her first stop. This whole deal with shopping runs was new to her, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out she should spend the most amount of time carrying the least amount of stuff around, so getting rid of the handful of letters and parcels she had stuffed around in her various coat pockets would be a good start.

The town was already bustling with life. Not entirely unsuspected given how long she had slept in, but she would have preferred it more quiet.

“I’m with you.” Melog said, giving her another reassuring bump.

Catra sighed. “Thanks buddy. Well, here goes nothing.”

* * *

The multitude of open-air stalls that usually dotted the market square, selling their produce and various crafted knick-knacks, were no longer to be seen. Yet the square was far from empty. Villagers of all kinds were streaming back and forth, and quite a few of them were busy getting the place decorated for the upcoming Winter Solstice. Long strings with colorful flags and ribbons were suspended between light posts, wreaths of evergreens and woven straw were hung up, colorful lanterns were being prepared to be lit and a few villagers were working hard on converting the great, open area in the middle of the square into a skate rink.

As it turned out most of the people around were simply far too busy or occupied in their own thoughts to pay much heed to an overdressed young woman trudging through the streets, much less draw a connection between her and the Catra that had once threatened this town and the rest of Etheria with war and destruction. There was the odd meet gaze, friendly greetings and exchanged smiles, and that seemed to be it. Melog drew more attention, but thankfully it didn’t seem many knew who this strange, almost ethereal being used to accompany yet.

“See? People don’t mind you.” Melog said, flicking their tail happily as they took in all the new, exciting sights.

“Only because they don’t know me.” Catra grumbled, though she was starting to feel a growing hope that things would not be as bad as she had feared they would be.

“Indeed, because then they’ll _really_ like you, just like everyone else you’ve let through your shell.” Melog said before coming to a halt. “That is the post office, is it not?”

They had stopped outside one of the larger buildings in Bright Moon, at least aside from the castle itself. Catra guessed the top spire of the circular tower probably rose a good hundred feet above its surroundings, and from its many circular openings countless birds of all shapes and sizes were entering or leaving, the telltale little vests with mail containers attached indicating their status as messenger birds. 

Comparatively prehistoric against the communicators and tablets that were seeing more and more widespread use, and Catra remembered quite vividly how often the Hordes intelligence division had them go out and intercept birds in hopes of learning more about the rebellions plans. Still, there really was no better option available when it came to physical letters and parcels.

A bell attached to the door jingled softly as they entered the post office. Decorations like those getting hung up outside around town were already in place, and the air that usually smelled faintly of paper now had a tang of sweetness to it as plates filled to the brim with fresh gingerbread had been put out for the customers.

“One for me and one for you.” Catra said as she grabbed a couple biscuits, passing a star-shaped one to Melog before biting the head off her own Etherian-shaped one. It was still warm, just the right balance between crunchy and soft, and with enough spices that the flavours stuck in her mouth long after the last little crumb was devoured. She toyed with the idea of inconspicuously grabbing another one, but at that very moment one of the clerks finished their last customer and waved her over.

“Good morning! What can I help you with?” The clerk greeted them cheerfully as they approached her desk. She was huge, easily at eye-level with Catra even while sitting, and her bushy, black mane made her appear larger still. Not quite unlike Force Captain Grizzlor in many ways, sans the scowl and the attitude.

“Hi, good morning. I have a few letters and a package to send.” Catra replied as she started fishing out envelopes from her coat and handed them over, one-by-one.

“Well that’s pretty much what we specialize in!” The clerk replied as they skimmed through the addresses. “Hmm, the ones to Erelandia and Thaymor we can do easily, but we don’t send a lot of package birds to The Valley of the Lost. Does it need to arrive before the Solstice?”

“Yes, if possible. It’s a gift.” Catra said. She had not had the pleasure of getting to know this Huntara character herself, but Adora seemed to think very highly of her. The sturdy survival knife she was sending her for a Solstice gift certainly seemed to underline that.

The clerk raised a giant, clawed hand and stroked their chin thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, I might actually have someone heading that way this afternoon. Good old Hurricane, won’t find a much more reliable bird than them!”

“That sounds great.” Catra said as she unstringed her coin purse. “How much do I owe you?”

“Eight Silver Moons, one each for the letters, three for the package to the Crimson Wastes.”

A scattering of coins hit the desk, each in the shape of a crescent moon as Catra quickly tied shut her coin purse and slipped it back under her coat.

“Many thanks, and a good solstice to you and yours Catra!” The clerk beckoned as she scooped up the coins and deposited them into an ancient-looking register to their left.

Catra froze up. The clerk had called her by name, as if it was the most natural thing in the world that a former warlord just walked in with a handful of letters they wanted to send.

“A- and to you and yours too.” She managed to stutter out as she twisted around and let her eyes search the room. No scowls, no angry faces, nobody that had overheard her name being dropped, or cared?

Signaling for Melog to follow she walked briskly out of the post office, grabbing another gingerbread biscuit on the way out the door.

The cold air hitting her face now felt like a relief as the knot that had formed in her gut slowly unwound itself. _Breathe, just breathe._ Melog brushed into her hip, and she let her fingers dig and knit themselves into their mane as she slowly reeled her composure back in again.

“Well, that went surprisingly well.” Catra finally said as she broke the gingerbread in two and offered Melog half.

“Maybe not as surprising as you think. The word has gotten out there, what you’ve done for Etheria, for She-Ra…” Melog said, gulping down their treat in one quick bite.

“You mean trying to conquer one and defeat the other?”

“I mean what came after that.” Melog answered, giving Catra a stern look.

“Yeah yeah, I get it, I’m supposedly a hero now. Whoop-de-frickin-do…” Catra said, waving a finger in the air as a sarcastic celebration. “Could have had me fooled last time I was here. A few villagers looked like they would have tried fighting me if they thought they had the faintest chance they’d win.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Now, where to next?”

“Well, I’m still stumped for what to get Adora, or Scorpia for that matter, so let’s put a pin in those for now. We’ll pick up those minis for Bow, then see about getting me some new threads.” Catra said as she finished up her biscuit. “Maybe some kind of inspiration strikes along the way.”

* * *

It took them a while to finally find the little hand painted sign that read _‘Nebe’s Games’_. The shop was on the outskirts of the shopping district, and the storefront was tiny, jammed in between a much larger coffee bar and a bookshop.

“Finally. Thought I’d have to ask someone to find it.” Catra grumbled as she walked up to the door, stomping off the snow that had gathered on her boots.

The door had stuck a bit in the weather, and it took a hefty shoulder-shove before it finally swung open and they stepped inside, closing it behind them. 

The place seemed empty. No customers, no shopkeep. Most every wall was lined with shelves, upon which countless boxed games, sets of dice and tiny miniatures were stored in neat rows. Out on the floor half a dozen tables stood, most of which were empty. Two had what looked like intricate dioramas on them, beautifully made replicas of terrain, buildings and landmarks, and dozens upon dozens of those little miniatures scattered around. 

The closest of the two immediately drew Catras curiosity. It was clearly meant to represent Bright Moon and its surrounding area, and from the multitude of horde tanks, skiffs, robots and soldiers gathered at one end of the table she concluded this was supposed to be some kind of representation of the Battle of Bright Moon. A battle she had ultimately lost thanks to the intervention of the restored Princess Alliance. Had not been all bad though, it had also seen her promoted to second-in-command of the Horde.

Bending down to observe the battlefield from a ground-perspective she found herself starting to shift some of the Horde units around. Her initial deployment had been mostly sound, but hindsight and experience proved that there were some improvements to be made. Wider lines of fire for a tank platoon, redeploying the bots to create crossfires in crucial areas, giving some troops better cover. 

Then a glint in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she lifted her gaze up to the cliffs towering above the river, where two miniatures seemed to be engaged in fierce battle with each other. Adora was in her old, kinda dorky-looking She-Ra form, the one she had used up until Etheria was moved out of Despondos and she lost her sword. Catra reached out, grabbed the other model and brought it in for a closer look.

It was her alright. Just like how she had looked some three years ago. Her face was twisted in a ferocious grin, her arms stretched out like wings with claws bared. The very same claws that had cut Adora so deeply on more than one occasion.

Her fingers started tightening around the miniature, as if crushing it in her hands would wipe away some of the pain and anguish that had both been the drive for all those terrible decisions, and usually the result of them as well.

“I must apologize for the unflattering rendition!” A voice suddenly boomed through the store, startling both her and Melog. “It’s a very old edition, quite dated.”

A curtain in the back wall shifted and a short, stout-looking man appeared. Round glasses rested on a crooked nose, and their wild beard had countless speckles of colored paint in it.

“Still, it used to be quite popular.” He said, nodding his head sideways to a shelf that was stacked full of identical little Catra miniatures, angry and poised to strike.

“Well, I’m glad that at least one aspect of me is.” Catra said, putting the model of herself back next to She-Ra. She made a point to twist it ever so slightly so it looked like the two were fighting side-by-side rather than against one another.

The little man chuckled loudly. “In any case, pleasure to finally meet you Catra. I’m Nebe, and this is my store.” Nebe said, reaching out for a handshake before he thought better of it, grabbed a shop towel from his back pocket and started to meticulously wipe away all the fresh paint from his fingers. “I was in the back finishing up some more models. This is a busy time of year for me.”

“No worries.” Catra said, tearing her attention away from the table and towards Nebe. “I wanted to check if the custom order Adora placed was ready, and if so if I could pick it up.”

“Ah, yes very much so!” Nebe said as he skipped over to his counter, vanished behind it and the sound of intense rummaging filled the shop. “It’s for young Master Bow, right? Lad’s got most of my standard models already.”

“Yes, it’s for him. He runs regular games up at the Castle.” Catra said. “He’s invited me to come play too, but I don’t know how any of it works.”

“I see. It’s daunting at first, but we’ve all been there at one point. Best advice I can give you is to focus on having fun with your friends first and foremost, and then the game knowledge will come with time.” Nebe croaked as he brought a small box up and carefully placed it on the counter. “This is the one. Care to inspect the work? It really is some of the best I have ever done.”

Catra simply nodded and Nebe excitedly cracked open the wooden box and started fishing tiny little models out of their foam nests, lining them up on the counter in front of her.

First came four feline-like critters that Nebe explained were Pookas from Beast Island, then followed by a regal-looking miniature of Micah, Glimmer's dad. Scorpia, apparently the only Princess Bow were missing, was next up and towered a good mini-head over the former king. 

“Now, these next two I think you’ll find particularly interesting.” Nebe said with a glint in his eyes as he put down the last two models from the box.

“It me!” Melog said enthusiastically, stepping forward and sniffing the perfect little scale rendition of themselves. Even the mane on the model was somehow transparent. 

Catra didn’t say a word as she reached out a hand, carefully grabbed the other miniature by the base and lifted it up to her face. It was beautifully made, sculpted by skilled hands and the paintwork was crisp and clear. The likeness to herself was astonishing, yet also puzzling in a few ways. For one, she had never worn her hair like that; long but in a ponytail. The outfit was also new. Sure enough, she had stolen enough of Adoras jackets that she could give that a pass, but the white and gold half-cape? Or pants tucked into knee-high boots? 

Her quizzical expression was not lost on Nebe. “The design was actually Adoras. She had a very specific idea in mind that she pitched me, and I got to say it ended up looking terrific!”

“Huh, imagine that.” Catra said, tossing another glance over her shoulder at the shelf full of angry little Catras behind her before turning back to the relaxed and happy one in her hand. “I like it. I like it a lot actually. Maybe Adora has a future as a miniature sculptor if she ever gets tired of the whole She-Ra shtick.”

Nebes laughter rattled the shelves around them. “Maybe. I am glad you like it though, you being an authority on the subject matter and all.”

Catra responded with a smile of her own. Her worries of being recognised aside, Nebe seemed free of any grudge or axe to grind, and their upbeat attitude was starting to rub off on her. “They all look great though. I’m sure Bow’s going to love them.”

“Aye, that’s my hope too.” Nebe said as he started to pack everything back up again, every fragile miniature returning to its small cutout in the foam. Catra took one last look at the one of herself before she handed it over and saw it disappear from sight back into the box.

Nebe gave her a thoughtful look as he closed the box and slid it across the counter. “You know.” He said, clearing his throat. “I’ve only got that one now, but I’ve been thinking of making more. Come by again in a couple weeks and I’ll have one for you too.”

“For me?”

“Aye. I always try to make sure someone's first model is something special. Free of charge too both, doubly so for you. After all, I've been selling your likeness for a couple years now.”

“I- I’d like that. Thanks.” Catra said. “Speaking of charge, how much for the others?”

“Oh don’t worry about that. Adora paid for those in advance when she commissioned me.” Nebe replied as they grabbed a large bag of rough-spun fabric and gingerly placed the box inside it. “There, easier to carry this way, and easier to sneak past young Master Bow!”

Catra grabbed the bag in silence and held it at her side. “Thank you Nebe, for everything.”

Nebe looked at her, puzzled. “Eh, you’re welcome?”

 _Come on idiot. Words_. “I mean, thank you for treating me like this.” Catra held up the bag with her little model in it. “And not like that.” She nodded towards the angry little miniatures on the shelf.

“Oh…” Nebe removed his glasses and gave them a quick polish on the lower edge of his shirt before he put them back on again. “We all make mistakes. Particularly so when we’re young and stupid.”

“I’ve made some pretty big ones.”

“Aye, that you have. But the way to deal with them is mostly the same no matter the severity. The most important thing is to recognise them, learn from them and make sure they’re not repeated.”

The door needed the same heavy-handed application of force both to open and close as Melog and Catra stepped back out into the winter chill. Yet even as the cold wind tore at Catras coat she could feel a ball of heat form inside her gut.

It was perhaps a little early to call Nebe a friend yet at this point; more of an acquaintance really, but that was still so much more than she had ever managed before. Whatever friendships she had tried to make in the Horde had always crumbled away, sifting through her fingers like so much fine sand that she could never hope to hold on to. Even with someone like Adora or Scorpia, people who had tried everything to reach past the figurative maze of barbed wire and broken glass she threw up around herself, she had still managed to hurt and push them away. Perhaps this was another sign that things were changing for the better.

“I like that man, and I like his shop! So many interesting smells and shapes.” Melog said, “Perhaps you should start a collection like Bow when you come to pick up little you?”

Catra chuckled. “Maybe. Bet I could teach him a thing or two about tactics when I have enough models for a match.”

“So, what’s next on the list?”

“Well, I’m none the wiser on what to get Scorpia or Adora.” Catra said thoughtfully as she looked down at the bag in her hand. “But my fashionista girlfriend have absolutely inspired me in other ways. Come, let’s go get me something to wear.”

* * *

It was with a much lighter coin pouch, considerably more bags grasped in her hands and a smile on her lips that Catra emerged from the store of one of Bright Moons finest tailors. Most of what she had requested had already been available, requiring only minor alterations to fit her perfectly, and the experience itself had been altogether quite pleasant. She reckoned she now had enough of a wardrobe to get by for the immediate future. Cozy, casual attires for lounging around in the castle, a few more formal and stylish items for public appearances, and finally the warmest coat and boots she could find to get herself through this bloody winter.

“I would offer to help carry all that for you.” Melog said, grinning mischievously, “But it seems I have no arms to offer!”

Catra giggled. “Careful, or I’ll go back in and ask them if they could stitch up some side bags for you.” 

She hefted the bags around a little, getting a better grip on them. “Besides, they’re not that…” She paused mid-sentence, her attention being drawn towards two individuals playing in the snow at the edge of the town square. 

One was a child, ferociously clapping snow together into neat little balls before throwing them, but it was the other person that drew most of her attention.

They had their back turned towards them, but even through the puffy jacket Catra could see they were unusually lanky and relatively tall. Tufts of blonde hair were poking out from under a blue beanie, and they were moving awkwardly through the snow as they ducked and weaved to avoid the snowballs hurtling their way. 

Reaching a hand out into the air, the young man splayed their fingers, waved out some quick gestures and suddenly a magical rune of light blue appeared above them. Catra watched in silence as the child sent an expertly aimed snowball through the rune, and then through the next target the man created, and the next, and the one after that.

Then she recognized the man's laughter, that high-pitched joyous giggle she had heard so many times before in the Fright Zone. _No, it couldn’t be._

She stepped forward, letting her bags drop and hit the snow as she approached the pair. “Kyle?”

He froze, standing motionless for what felt like an eternity before finally turning around to face her, eyes wide and mouth half agape. “Force Captain Catra?”

Catra raised her hands. More than anything she wanted to embrace him, tell him how sorry she was about everything she had put them through; but she could also see the fear in his eyes as she approached and held off.

“It’s just Catra now, actually.” She said, dropping her arms and grasping her own elbow as she searched for words. “I- I'm glad to see you’re alright. I never thought I’d see any of you again.”

Some of the fear and tension in Kyle disappeared as he realized he was not about to be chewed out again. “Yeah, yeah we’re all alright actually. Me, Rogelio, Lonnie and Imp here.” He said, holding out a hand as Imp waddled up to his side and grabbed hold of it.

Catras eyes widened. “Imp? As in, Hordaks?”

Kyle smiled faintly as he looked down at the little creature by his side. “Yeah, not so easy to recognize without his wings out or what? They get cold very easily so we keep them under his coat when it’s freezing. We found him in the ruins when we left the Fright Zone, hurt and stuck under some rubble. I couldn’t leave him.”

“Well, he seems to be doing better now.” Catra said as she squatted down in front of Imp, but the little clone merely hissed at her and sheltered behind Kyles legs. “So, Lonnie and Rogelio are around too?”

“Yes, they’re out looking for work while I’m watching over Imp. They’re doing fine, just a little tired is all.” Kyle said as he bent down, gingerly lifted Imp up and placed him on his shoulders. “We’ve been moving around a lot these last months. Not a lot of work to be found for former Horde soldiers.”

“That’s rough.” Catra said, her ears flicking back in sympathy and guilt. _It wasn’t fair. She had run them into the ground and now she lived like a Princess up in the castle while they still had to scrape by._ “Maybe I can help you though. I can ask around the castle, see if there’s anything for you.”

Kyle brightened up. “You’d do that? Oh, that’d be great!”

Catra smiled back. _At least she was trying to do right by them this time around_. “But Kyle, what’s the deal with the magic? When did you pick up that!?”

“This?” Kyle said, his grin growing wider as he raised his hands, drawing shapes in the air with his fingers as another blue rune circle grew out from his movements, and then out of the circle a small image of light burst out. The illusion, shaped like a tiny little bunny, skipped across the ground enthusiastically before the spell faded away.

“I don’t really know why or how, but I think it has something to do with Adora letting Etherias magic free. Maybe with so much more of it to go around there was just enough to wake something up in me, something so faint that I never noticed it before.” 

“Really? Kyle, that is awesome!” Catra gleamed, making no effort to hide her excitement. Passer-bys were stopping and watching the exchange, but right now she didn’t much care if she had an audience.

“Thanks, and it is!” Kyle said, firing off a small flare from a finger that sputtered out mere moments later. “I am still figuring it out, but it feels so great to have… I don’t know, something? I was never a good soldier or fighter like you or the others.”

“I was a good fighter, but pretty crap with a lot of other things Kyle. Especially at being a friend.” Catra said, taking another step towards him. “You should probably study with a proper sorcerer, then you’d really see some progress. I’ll check in with Castaspella, maybe-”

That was all she could get out before another familiar voice rocked her to the core. 

“Stay away from them!”

Catra spun around, eyes fixated on the stout, muscular girl striding resolutely towards them. Lonnie had not changed in the slightest, but the hate and contempt that Catra had only seen short glimpses of before was now writ large in her gaze.

“Lonnie, I’ve been wanting to tell-” Catra started before she was interrupted again.

“You ain’t gonna tell us diddly-squat, Catra.” Lonnie snarled as she circled around Catra and Melog, interposing herself between them and Kyle. “We’re done with you and your crazy-ass power trips!”

“Look, I’m sorry.” Catra stuttered, her eyes flicking back and forth between Lonnie and the crowd that was gathering because of the commotion. “I’m not the same as I was back then.”

“Could’ve fooled me, ‘cause the way I see it not much has changed. You keep using people to get what you want, climbing them like stairsteps up to your cushy little ivory tower where you don’t have to face any consequences for what you’ve done, for the lives you ruined.” Lonnie said, underlining every word with a pointed finger.

Her words hit a nerve. Almost as if a switch was flicked a red-hot glow brewed up inside Catra and she stopped backpedaling. “So I’m using Adora, is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Lonnie barked back. “Hordak’s serving time on Beast Island, Prime and Shadow Weaver are gone, yet you walk around free like you own the place.”

“I left the Horde!” Catra snarled as both Melog and Kyle started to pull and push the two young women away from each other. “

“So did we!” Lonnie shouted, ignoring Kyles futile attempt to break up the fight. “Do you see us living in a castle? You jumped ship at just the right time and into just the right pair of arms. I can’t wait until she realizes who you really are and drops you like a bad habit.”

Catra unsheated her claws, face twisted into a mask of rage as she took a step towards Lonnie, and then another. Lonnie lifted her own fists, readying herself.

The blow did not come from Lonnie. Catra felt the air get knocked out of her lungs as her back hit the ground, two massive paws holding her down as she stared into the red-maned visage of Melog.

“Enough!” They growled before stepping back off her as their ears flicked back and their colour shifted to teal again. “Is this who you want to be anymore?”

Catra offered no response, her breathing growing heavier as the red mist vanished and she looked around at the crowd of people staring down at her; emotions clearly on display. Fear, anger, disgust, pity… She could not bear any of it.

Melog stepped off her and she scrambled back onto her feet, ice-cold moisture seeping through her clothes to her skin. Lonnie still stood in her fighting stance, expression filled with just as much confusion as it was with anger and contempt.

Catra tried to formulate a response, a reassurance to both the crowd, Kyle and Lonnie that they had nothing to fear, but the only thing she could muster was a whisper. “Sorry.”

She turned around and started walking away, the crowd parting to let her through. She broke into a run, her feet hitting the ground faster and faster until even Melog could barely keep up anymore, tears matting the fur around her eyes.

She did not stop until she was back at the castle, the one place where she could hide from everyone, and from everything she had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, long wait, long chapter! Hopefully you won't have to wait so long for the next installment.  
> This chapter was also very Catra-heavy. Not necessarily a bad thing, but we'll try to keep things a bit diversified and explore other characters as well. The next chapter will be more focused on Adora.
> 
> Comments are deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and it has been years since I last wrote fiction, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.  
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.


	3. Pain and Progress

Razz’s little hut felt exactly the same as last time Adora had visited. Not a single item, decoration or piece of furniture was where she had remembered them being, but that was also how it had always been. There was a certain familiarity in the chaos.  
Madame Razz herself seemed to have changed very little, unfettered by the burdens of age even as her attention and mind jumped back and forth like a restless animal.

  
Adora took another sip of the mug of warm broth and enjoyed the feeling of heat coursing through her body. The hut was surprisingly cozy actually, especially considering the doorway was only covered by a thin fabric curtain. She reckoned some kind of magic barrier was the explanation; that and the fireplace where a freshly baked pie was now filling the room with its sweet smell.

“The Whispering Woods feels so different now. Brighter, wilder, more alive.” Adora said as she put aside the now empty mug. “I imagine it must feel very strange living here now after the Hearts magic was set free.”

Razz seemed to ignore her, giving some kind of weird, wooden clock a few inquisitive prods with a finger before she turned to Adora, a wide grin on her face.

“Oh dearie, it’s not so different after all!” Razz said as she grabbed a thick swath of cloth and used it to move the pie off the heat. “The woods were always alive and wild, filled with magic. But perhaps that was harder to see when flying above it, hmm?”

“That’s unfair Razz. You know how many times I’ve stumbled through it on foot.” Adora protested as she was first handed a spatula before Razz ripped it out from between her fingers and gave her the spoon she had intended all along.

“Stumbled, yes. But have you actually stopped to listen and look?” Razz said as she placed a plate of pie in front of Swift Wind, lounging out on the floor, and started preparing another one for Adora. “You’ve always been in such a hurry Mara dearie. So many things resting heavy on your conscience, even now you worry.”

“It’s still Adora, and yes I worry.” Adora sighed as she accepted the plate of pie. “I thought things would be so simple now, with the Horde gone and Etheria at peace. But there’s so much that needs to be rebuilt, so many wounds that need to heal. People still need She-Ra.”

“Yes they do, and some people also just need you.” Razz answered with a chuckle as she pointed at Adora. “Tell me, how is she doing, and when do you plan to bring her to visit old Madame Razz, hmm?”

Adora raised a quizzical eyebrow. “How do you—”

“Sorry, that one’s on me!” Swift Wind interjected. “I’ve visited Razz a couple times since you two made it official; and hey, you really are too cute a couple to not gossip about.”

Adoras scowl softened. _We’re a cute couple, that’s something at least._ “Yes Razz, we’re together now. Catra is doing… good, all things considered. I mean, it took me a while to get used to not being with the Horde anymore too.”

Razz took a bite of her own slice and waved Adora on with her spoon before she continued to dig in.

Adora took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Some people are hard on her for what she did, but none quite as much as herself. She’s getting better at handling it, I think.”

“No battle is quite as hard-fought as the one against your own mind. Now, eat your pie dearie, before it gets cold!”

Adora dutifully obliged. The pie was delicious, not so overpoweringly sweet and sugary that it did not let the natural taste of the berries come through, and she found herself smacking her lips with unadulterated delight for every bite.

“Good, yes? Enjoy, it will be some time before there’s berries to pick again.” Razz said. “I can feel it in my bones, this will be a long and cold winter.”

“The offer to come live at Bright Moon still stands Razz.” Adora said soberly. “I don’t want you to freeze or starve out here in the woods.”

“Visit, maybe. Stay, no! Razz has seen many winters, she will see many more still.”

Swift Wind shifted his eyes back and forth between the two women. “We will come visit you Razz, just like we usually do.”

Adora nodded. “Yes we will, and I’ll check with Catra too. I think she’d like to finally meet you.”

Razz nodded sagely as she continued eating in silence.

Every so often Adora would see her eyes glaze over for a split second before returning to normal, a kind of absence to the present showing before she looked around herself and realized where she was again, and when.

Whether the ability to relieve her fondest memories outweighed the distress and confusion that followed Adora could not tell for sure, only that it seemed to grow more frequent, and disturb Razz in ways she had not seen in the past.

She put aside her empty plate and looked down at her own hands, calloused and worn rough. Was there a way She-Ra's powers could help? And if they could, should she? Was that even her choice to make?

Softly she could hear the words Catra had told so many times echo at the back of her mind. _You don’t have to carry the weight of the world anymore. It’s not your burden. Everything isn’t a nail for you to knock in, you big, dumb hammer._

She smiled upon remembering the last one. Less diplomatic and eloquent than Mara had put it back under the ancient temple, but infinitely more... Catra.

Almost as if she had read Adoras thoughts, Razz's eyes suddenly focused on her as a wiry old hand reached out and laid itself reassuringly on top of her own. “I’ll be fine Adora. Just… tired and old is all.”

“You sure?” Adora asked as she grasped Razz’s hand softly.

“I am sure. Just need to rest my eyes.” Razz said with an almost toothless smile. “Thank you for visiting, both of you.”

“Anytime Razz.” Swift Wind said as he got up onto his hooves, his characteristic upbeat tone nowhere to be heard.

“It was good seeing you again Razz.” Adora said as she also stood up and stretched. “And thanks for the pie, it was delicious. I don’t know how you get it perfect every time.”

“Experience dearie.” Razz mumbled as she laid down and wound a patchwork blanket around herself. “Lots and lots of experience…”

Adora threw one last look at Razz’s bundled-up form as she held the curtain aside for Swift Wind before she also stepped through into the biting cold. They walked on, aiming to get some distance to the hut before transforming or taking off.

“It feels like she’s getting older. Not physically, just in other ways.” Adora said, wrapping her coat closer around her body as they trudged through the snow.

“That’s time Adora.” Swift Wind responded. “Razz has seen more of it go by than most.”

Adora nodded dourly before she threw another look back at Razz’s hut. “Should be far enough.” 

She reached a hand in the air. 

“For the honour of Grayskull!”

Fingers already stinging from the freezing wing gripped the hilt of the sword as a wave of warm light embraced her. The cold vanished, a feeling of serenity and strength washed through her body as her eyes opened again in a brilliant blue flash.

“Let’s go home, Swift Wind.”

* * *

The journey had always been a quick one by air, and the snowfall that was creeping in from the North did not inspire any desire for sightseeing. Swift Winds hooves touched down in the castle courtyard in record time.

“Alright, let’s head to the stables and get you something to eat while I brush you off.” Adora said as she leapt off Swift Winds back and transformed back to her regular self.

“Tempting as that might sound, I know you have other things on your mind now.” Swift Wind answered with a grin. “I know you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Don’t worry, the folks at the stables know how to spoil me.”

Adora gave him a gracious smile back. “Thanks Swiftie. I owe you.”

“And don’t you forget it!” He shouted at her back as she set off jogging towards the entrance to the keep.

Adora came close to slipping twice on the snow-covered, slick tiles before she made it indoors, greeting the guards as they closed the doors behind her. Not the most dignified appearance, but it wasn’t like the residents of Bright Moon weren't’ already acutely aware of what to expect from her, and besides at this point she really couldn't care much less. Since the Heart every moment she spent away from Catra felt wrong and hollow, as if a piece of herself was missing. Every fibre of her being wanted to be close to her again, to feel her warmth, to listen to her unabashed laughter.

She rounded the next corner and continued down the hallway, giving familiar faces a wave and a smile as she dodged past the other residents going about their day, finally breaking off to the side and slipping off into the quiet wing.  
Small puddles of moisture could still be seen dotting the floor towards their room, remnants of snow Catra had dragged in with her. Adora grinned as she gave herself a mental pat on the back. _Eat your heart out Huntara, I can track with the best_.

She opened the door to their quarters, poking her head in first. “Hey Catra, missed me?” 

There was no reply.

Adora stepped through the door and closed it behind her, kicked off her boots and hung up her jacket. Catra was back alright, that much was certain. The clothes she had borrowed had been unceremoniously dumped on the floor in a long trail across the room.

Adora sighed as she started gathering everything back up and getting it hung up to dry out. Catra had never been particularly neat or tidy, but this was unusually bad and inconsiderate, even for her. 

“Love? You plan to jumpscare me again, don’t you?”

Moving further in she heard a faint murmur coming from the bathroom, the sound of the shower being run. Odd, but not inconceivable. Catra had made strides in dealing with her fear of water, but usually needed a bit of prodding or company before she took a shower willingly.

Then she saw the faint shape of Melog outside the bathroom door, their coat a glistening, sad purple, and her heart froze. The bundle of clothes fell from her hands and scattered across the floor again as she walked forward.

“Melog, what’s wrong?” She asked, her voice so thick and hoarse it barely came out a whisper. 

Melog raised their head and looked at her. Adora had never been able to understand whenever Melog spoke, but the sadness in their eyes told her everything she needed to know.

Catra was hurting, and Melog could not help her this time. But perhaps she could? 

Adoras hand shook slightly as she reached out, grabbed the door handle and entered.

The steam-filled air hit her like a wave of actual water, soaking her to the bone. Her eyes scanned the room frantically as the cold gust of air from behind her pushed the thick mist back.

Then she saw her, a small figure bundled up in the furthermost corner of the shower.

Adora didn’t say a word as she closed the door behind herself, stepped into the shower and let herself slide down along the wall an arms reach away from Catra.

Catra lifted her head ever so slightly, their gaze meeting. It was impossible to make out tears in the constant drizzle from the shower, but the redshot eyes told Adora enough.

More than anything she wanted to reach out and grab her, to hold Catra next to herself and tell her everything would be alright; but she knew she couldn’t, not yet. Catra didn’t need a possessive or overprotective saviour, but whatever it was she’d want Adora would be there for her.

Catra hid her face behind her knees again, bundling up tighter as her tail wound itself around her legs.

It was going to take time.

Adora stifled a sigh as she yanked out her hair elastic and slipped it around her wrist, letting her already soaked-through hair fall down past her shoulders. 

Time passed by excruciatingly slowly, every heartbeat feeling like an eternity.

Then, ever so slowly, she saw Catra unwind herself, cramped-up legs stretching as she slid over and closed the gap between them. Adora lifted her arms in an invitation before Catra embraced her, clinging to her like she was drowning.  
She felt Catras arms push into her back, knuckles digging into her shoulders, face burying itself in the crook of her neck. 

“Idiot.”

“What was that?” Adora asked as she folded her own arms around Catra.

“I said you’re sitting in the shower fully dressed, like an idiot.” Catra mumbled before letting out a sound halfway between a sob and a chuckle, Adora could not tell.

“That’s the way we do things here in Bright Moon.” Adora said, moving one hand to rest behind Catras head. “Love, what happened?”

This time it was definitely a sob. “I messed up. I messed up badly.”

Adora could feel her own eyes misting up. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I should—”

“Adora.” The insistence in Catras voice made her shut up. “It’s not your fault.”

Adora took a deep breath. “I still feel responsible.”

“You always do.” Catra said, almost choking up. “I let them see me, the real me.”

“Wasn’t that the idea? To show everyone how you’ve changed?”

“I showed them I was still the same, that I only hurt people.”

Adora felt a chill run down her spine. “Catra, did you?”

“No. Melog stopped me.” Catra said, her body shaking as another sob forced its way out. “I could have, I would have...”

“Didn’t.” Adora stated simply as she cradled Catra closer, her own tears drowning in the streams of water running down her face. She could feel every heartbeat through the embrace, every ragged breath and pained sob, and it hurt more than she could imagine. Yet she stayed put.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Catra finally whispered, her shaking slowly subsiding. “I thought I was better than that. You deserve someone better.”

“Idiot.”

Catras ears perked up. “Wait, what?”

“If you really think I deserve or want someone else than you, then you’re an idiot.”

Catra pulled away, just enough that they came face to face with each other. A faint smile flickered across her lips. “Pretty sure that’s still one of mine.” She croaked.

Adora returned the smile as she reached out a hand and turned off the shower. “Alright, let’s be each other's idiots and dry off. Pass me those towels?”

Catras' smile widened as she let go and rose to her feet, wiping water and tears out of her face with the back of her arm. “Okay. Do you plan to do that the Bright Moon way as well?”

Adora smirked as she grabbed hold of her sweater and started peeling it off.

* * *

Catra talked and Adora listened as they dried each other off, eventually vacating the bathroom in favour of the bed under the cover of a thick duvet. Melog leapt up to join them, giving Catra a happy and relieved lick on the cheek before lying down next to them.

“... and it was Kyle! Can you imagine, Kyle the sorcerer?”

“Wait, screwup Kyle, that Kyle?”

“That Kyle!” Catra exclaimed. “Anyway, I struck up a conversation, tried to mend some old wounds, do right by him for once.”

Adora ran a hand down her bare back. “Go on.”

“Then Lonnie showed up, with not much nice to say about me. Can’t blame her, last time we met we also almost got into a fight.” Catra twitched and tensed up again. “She… struck a couple nerves, sensitive ones. About you, about us.”

“Catra, I’m not ever leaving—” 

“I know! I hear you say it, it’s just…” Catra pinched the bridge of her nose as she searched for words. “I’ve spent so long doubting and second-guessing everything good that’s ever happened to me. It’s hard to stop.”

Adora snuggled in closer. “Someone once told me that I deserved love too. It can be hard to accept that sometimes, but I’m pretty sure you don’t deserve it any less.”

Catra let out a giggle. “What kind of dofus said that? Bow?”

“No, it’s... You never meet them.” Adora said simply. “So, Lonnie.”

Catra swallowed. “Yeah, she came and raised all kinds of noise. Some warranted, some not. She pushed my buttons and we almost came to blows before Melog and Kyle broke us up, in front of half the town.”

Melog raised their head, a sad expression still on their face. “Hey, I needed it.” Catra said, running a hand through her companions mane. “Thanks.”

Melog let out a satisfied chirp before returning to drowsing off.

Catra slumped back as well into Adoras arms, shifting herself into a more comfortable position. “I couldn’t think of a way to salvage that, so I turned tail and ran.”

Suddenly Catra froze up, her eyes ballooning before she let out a long, pained groan and buried her face in a pillow. Adora got above her, concern writ large on her face. “Catra, what is it?”

“And to round off my failure I left behind all my shopping when I ran! Bows present included.” Catra said through gritted teeth, fighting back the tears that threatened to well forth again.

Adora smiled wearily as she grabbed the pillow and shifted it aside, staring into her girlfriends eyes once again. “It’s okay love, we’ll go look for them later.”

“Might have to be sooner rather than later.” Catra said, breathing deeply to calm herself down again. “Or else I’ll end up having to borrow from you again and end up looking like a slob at the banquet tonight.”

Adora raised an eyebrow. “Is that a jab at how I dress? And since when did you get fashion-conscious?”

“Yes it is, and what is that supposed to mean? I always looked fab!” Catra said with a strained smile. “Besides, if I’m going to have to put in more effort to make people around here tolerate me I might as well get started by being presentable."

Adoras grin grew. “So you’re going to keep trying?”

“I’m nothing if not stubborn.” Catra said as she snuggled closer, shutting her eyes as Adora started rubbing and massaging her back in that soft, yet firm way only Adora knew.

It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes before a series of quick knocks at the door echoed through the room. Catras eyes flicked open in annoyance as she stopped purring. She was of two minds whether to respond or ignore it and hope whoever was outside would go away.

Adora made up their mind for them, slipping out from between the covers and tossing on her bathrobe, even as Catra reached out a hand in a futile effort to pull her back again.

“Adora? Catra? You in there?” Came the unmistakable voice of Bow from the other side of the door, mellowing Catras irritation. All things considered Bow was pretty alright in her book.

“Yes we are. Hi Bow.” Adora answered as she opened the door and leaned against the frame.

Bow seemed uneasy, and she guessed not everything of it was down to him having to cover up his midriff with something more substantial than his usual crop tops.

“Hey Adora. You guys alright?”

“Better.” Adora said, scratching her neck. “So you heard what happened?”

“Yeah, one of the townsfolk told me. Figured I’d check on you.” Bow said, switching his gaze over to Catra as she also appeared at the door, a bathrobe wrapped around her slender form. “Hey buddy, how you feeling?”

“Like shit, but what else is new?” Catra replied before mustering a weak smile.

“I’ve got something that can help with that.” Bow grinned back as he opened his arms wide to both of them. “Best Friend Squad?”

“Best Dork Squad.” Catra mumbled as she and Adora stepped forward into the hug. Finally being with Adora was one thing, but she had grown to appreciate Bow and Glimmer too in ways she couldn’t quite express into words, and the signs of affection she had protested so vividly she now had come to enjoy more than she cared to admit.

“A good hug always helps, but I did actually have something else in mind too.” Bow said as he let go of them and pointed down the hallway. Catras eyes followed and came to rest on a large pile of familiar-looking fabric bags.

“One of the townspeople came up to the castle with them a little while ago.” Bow said. “They wanted me to make sure you got them, said it looked like you could use a bit of luck.”

Catra fought to keep tears back as the realization of what that meant dawned on her. It wasn’t a lost cause. There were still people out there who believed in her. “You guys… thank you Bow. Are they still here at the castle?”

“Afraid not, they had to get back home before it got dark. I gave them our thanks though, that was a lot of stuff to lose.”

“Yes, and it would probably have left you presentless at the Solstice” Catra said, a mischievous grin growing in her face as she looked over at Bow.

“Oh, my present is in there?!” Bow said with almost childlike wonder as he started making his way towards the bags.

“Get him Adora! Keep him at bay while I hide it.” Catra growled as she leapt past Bow, scooped up the pile and shoveled it all through the door as Adora and Bow play-wrestled and laughed behind her.

“I will not be thwarted so easily, Horde scum!” Bow shouted as Adora pinned him down in a body-lock. “Argh! And for the record, the banquet starts in two hours. Glimmer asked for both of you.”

“We’ll be there, don’t you worry.” Adora said with a grin as she let go and helped Bow back up onto his feet. “In the meantime I’ll find another wrestling partner.”

“Then don’t let me keep you.” Bow said with a knowing smile, dusting himself off.

Adora gave him a quick side-hug before she leapt back into her and Catras room and closed the door behind them.

“Now love, before you show me how much better you dress than me, how about we change into each other's favorite outfits?”

Catra snickered as she untied her waist-belt and let her robe slide off onto the floor. “Thought you’d never ask.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t see that.” Melog said with a chuckle as they rose up from the bed, stretched and strolled past towards the door. “I’ll go for a walk. Have fun.”

Adora threw them a grateful look as they left and closed the door behind them, then back at Catras embarrassed expression. “I don’t need to understand them to know what that was. For the record, you’re very cute when you get flustered.”

“Really? No other words that come to mind?” Catra said as she regained her composure, slinked back onto the bed and draped herself across it. Biting every so slightly into her lower lip as she looked back at Adora with love and anticipation in her eyes.

Adora seized up for a few moments, brain freezing as she could do nothing but admire the sight before her. Those eyes almost sparkling back at her, that smile that always had a hint of mischief in it; her toned body, every curve of which she longed to caress.

She let out an awkward laughter as she looked down and started untying her own waist-belt. “A few. brave, beautiful, irresistible—”

“Then don’t resist.”

* * *

“Don’t peek!” Catras voice echoed through the bathroom door as Adora finished drying her hair off. The last hours activities had proved rather energetic for a lack of a better word, and with Catra insisting on getting fully changed before showing off her new look a proper, unclothed shower had been a no-brainer.

“I won’t peek!” Adora answered as she grabbed another hartie, then thought better of it and grabbed a brush instead. “I’m not even finished with my hair.”

“Hair? You finally giving up on the ponytail?” Catra said as she ran a hand through her own and tousled it rougher. The lightness of it was nice, but had never been her own decision to cut it in the first place. It had grown a couple inches, maybe three, since then; but there was still a long way to go before it would get to where she wanted it.

“Maybe.” Adora answered as Catra slumped back onto the bed, arched her back up and slowly wiggled into her new breeches. Going zipperless had its cons, but she had liked how it fit her, and she had no doubts that Adora would also come to greatly appreciate the view.

“Now you’ve got me curious.”

“You’ll stay curious for a little while longer. Don’t peek!”

“Touche.” Catra replied as she rose up and started carefully tucking in her red blouse. It wasn’t entirely dissimilar from those jackets Adora always wore, angular in the shoulders and sleeves stopping at the elbows. She had skipped the white undershirt in favour of a low-slung sports bra. 

Next came the boots, which took some effort to get on but which fit perfectly once her feet slipped through the narrow ankles. They rose up to her knees and were black and with golden accents that matched the buttons on the rest of her outfit and the stripes running down the side-seams of her pants.   
Then came the fingerless gloves, for attitudes sake. She debated whether to leave the half-cape off and save it for a more formal occasion, but ultimately threw it over her left shoulder and fastened it in place.

Shouting an all-clear to Adora, she took a moment to inspect her reflection in the full-length mirror next to the wardrobe. Stylish, sharp and quite practical, yet still very much herself. Not as she had once been, but as who she wanted to be.

  
She was still posing when the door to the bathroom opened and she spun around to face Adora, and found herself at a loss for words.

  
She had seen Adora in a dress before at the Princess Prom, one of the few memories from that time she still treasured, but that simple red number had nothing on the elegant gown in white and gold that now cascaded down her athletic frame. Even the ponytail was gone, her long, blonde hair running free down her back.

Adora seemed equally perplexed. “Catra?”

Catra smiled, flicked her half-cape aside and struck a pose. “What can I say, inspiration hit me.”

“You looked at Bow's gift, didn’t you?” Adora said as she started closing the distance between them, the tips of white ankle boots peeking out from under the gown with every step.

Catras' smile faltered. “Is something wrong? Should I go change into—”

The sentence was cut short as Adora embraced her and their lips met, stealing her breath away. Closing her eyes she let out a muffled moan as her lips parted to let Adora in, longing to feel her, to taste her again. She was not disappointed.

“You look great.” Adora said as she pulled away again, still keeping Catra in her embrace.

“You look even better.” Catra whispered back, eyes growing larger as her hand brushed up Adoras back. “Open back? Oh my…”

Adora laughed. “Focus. We’ll need to behave til after the banquet is over.”

“That’s going to be a challenge.” Catra said as she drew her claws over Adoras back, only applying enough pressure to let them be felt. “I take back everything I ever said about how you dress. How did you even come up with this?”

Adora closed her eyes, suppressing a gasp. “You remember the dream I told you about, before the kiss?”

“Mmm.”

“This is how we looked.” She smiled as she reached out a hand and started playing with Catras hair. “More or less.”

“Turns out some dreams come true huh?” Catra said as she lifted a hand to her hair and roughed it up again. “So, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s.” Adora replied, beaming as she offered Catra her arm. She eagerly accepted.

* * *

They were still holding each other as they approached the great dining hall, Melog just catching up as they walked through the doorway, past the masked guards.

“You smelt food, didn’t you?” Catra snickered under her breath as they found their seats at the round table. Melog only responded with a content chirp as they laid down and curled themself around her chair.

It was only the second time she had ever been in this hall, though she knew it well from endless security briefs and intel drops. It had once served as the rebellion's war room, the very place where most of their strategies and plans had been laid. Now it was used only when the dining room became too small to accommodate everyone.

The Princesses and other guests that did not live at Bright Moon were still absent, and likely to remain so until they got closer to the Solstice. There were still plenty of occupied chairs however.

Queen Glimmer in the high seat was flanked by her father, King Micah, on one side and by Bow on the other. Netossa, Spinnerella, General Juliet and a whole host of other members of the court she did not recognise were also present, with the last few stragglers entering right after them and finding their own spots.

Catra let her eyes wander through the crowd, finding quite a few faces turned towards herself and Adora. No stink eyes this time, though the people in this room were certainly more aware of what had really happened before Prime fell than most. After all almost everyone had been present the last time she was here, mere days after those events.

She remembered it as clearly as if it had been yesterday. Herself, Hordak, Wrong Hordak representing the surviving clones; all standing in this very room awaiting their judgement. There had been no chains or restraints but a trial it had been nonetheless, with everything she had so dearly won on the line.

She need not have worried so. Harsh punishments and examples being made had been the way of the Horde, not of Bright Moon. By the time everyone had told their side of the story she had been fully acquitted; and most had even looked at her with reverence and gratitude. Mermista being the most prominent exception, but that had not been unexpected.

The Clones were also fully pardoned, with the intimate knowledge many possessed of Primes methods eliciting no small amount of empathy from the crowd. To her knowledge most of them, Wrong Hordak included, had since settled in the Fright Zone.

There had however been one clone Catra and the Princesses alike found much harder to forgive. Hordak had sown the seeds of years of suffering and war across Etheria long before Prime forced him under his will; and neither his role in his masters downfall, Entraptas impassioned pleas or even Adoras stern defence could fully erase that.

There had been calls for prison, even for banishment off Etheria itself, but ultimately it had been Hordak himself that offered the most palatable solution. So he had been sent to Beast Island, to live there in exile until such a time came where he was deemed fit to reenter Etherian society.

Catra had silently wished he would find his end there, that the stories she had heard about that dreadful place would be true and he would end up skewered on some kind of razor-sharp appendage before any opportunity for pardon or reduced sentence came up.

_Was she being hypocritical? Maybe, but she had known him better than anyone else there. She knew him as the warlord who had once robbed her of a family and any chance at a normal life, as the tyrant who had nearly suffocated her just to make a point, as the sociopath who had sent her into a wasteland to die. He was a monster, just as Prime had been, just as she had been…_

Her train of thoughts was thankfully interrupted as Glimmer rose to her feet and the tableside murmur died out. The young queen of Bright Moon looked as regal as ever; a leader forged through adversity, kind at heart and wise beyond her years. Most of the time.

“Beloved subjects, guests, friends. I am glad and honored to once again welcome you to the table. Our meals will be brought out shortly, but before then I have a few announcements to make.” She spoke as her eyes trailed along the room, catching the gaze of each and every one of them before moving on.

“As you are all aware, we will soon see the return of one of Etherias most treasured traditions, the celebration of the Winter Solstice. It is a holiday of love and joy, a celebration of the seasonal turn as we move on to warmer, easier times; and I can think of no better way to cement a new era of peace and prosperity for Etheria and her people than returning to it once more after the many hard years of strife and conflict that once saw it abolished.”

Cheers of agreement echoed around the table before Glimmer brought them to silence with a raised hand. 

“With but a week left before this grand occasion is upon us, we will shortly be welcoming guests from all of Etheria here at Bright Moon. Retinues from the Kingdom of Snows, from Mystacor, from Salineas and from the joint kingdoms of Plumeria and the Fright Zone. For many it will be a long, arduous journey through the cold of winter, so let us all make sure that our hearts are open, warm and welcoming for—”

“Please get it over with, Sparkles.” Catra grumbled under her breath before Adora gave her a gentle prod with an elbow and a stern look. “What? I also look forward to seeing Scorpia again, but I’m hungry!”  
Adora rolled her eyes and gestured towards the high seat with a subtle toss of her head. Catra let out an overly dramatic sigh and went back to paying attention.

“Moving on, as we get ready to celebrate this joyous occasion I also wish to highlight and celebrate one of Bright Moons finest. General Juliet, please stand up.”

Hushed whispers erupted around the table as the head of Bright Moons guard rose to her feet, standing tall and proud as her polished armour glittered in the light.

“General, for many years you have served our Kingdom valiantly. You trained our troops, you advised me with great skill in all military matters, as you did my mother before me, and you fought with great courage on the very front lines against the Horde. Both I and Bright Moon owe you a debt that we’ll never be able to fully repay.”

Glimmer paused, exchanging a smile with Juliet. When she continued it was with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

“It was with a heavy heart that I yesterday accepted your letter of resignation, yet I can fully understand your desire to transition to a more peaceful life. One where you can pursue your own happiness and fulfillment. I wish you all the best in the future, and want you to know that you’ll always have a home here in Bright Moon should you so desire.”

“Thank you, your highness.” Juliet beamed. “I leave this position safe in the knowledge that the kingdom of Bright Moon is secure and led by a kind and wise ruler. Long live Queen Glimmer!”

Cheers and applause echoed around the hall. Adora clapped enthusiastically, and Catra joined in for appearances sake. Not that she minded Juliet in any way, she had just never gotten to know her as anyone else than a faceless opponent on the battlefield.

It took until Glimmer raised her hands in a call for order before everyone quieted down and sat back down in their seats. “Of course, though Etheria is finally at peace we will never again be caught so unaware and unprepared as we were when Hordak first arrived. A new commander will be appointed to lead Bright Moons forces and advise the throne on all military matters. General Juliet will be leaving behind some big boots to fill, but after close deliberation with my most trusted advisors I believe we have found a very promising candidate.”

Catra felt a faint sting in her chest hearing that. She inhaled deeply, reminding herself that Glimmer trusted her more or less unconditionally after everything they had been together. Yet still, not even being asked for an opinion on a subject where she had so much to contribute?

Glimmer continued. “Besides having proven themself both an exceptionally capable tactician and an expert combatant in their own right, they have shown no shortage of courage, loyalty and dedication, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to consider them a close friend.”

 _Well, that was that mystery solved._ “Hey Netossa, congrats.” Catra whispered to the Princess a couple seats over to her left. “Just don’t let it get to your head, alright?”

Netossa stayed quiet, but the big smirk growing on her face baffled Catra. She wasn’t mistaken was she? Surely it couldn’t be anyone else?

“— and just as I am saddened to see Juliet leave us, I am equally thrilled to offer this position to you.” Glimmer continued, her eyes sweeping over to where Adora and Catra were sitting. “Catra.”

The silence was deafening. Catra could hear her own heart racing as she tore her eyes away from Netossa and Spinnerellas big grins and to Glimmer.

“Wh… what?” She managed to croak out, feeling Adoras hand grab hold around her own and give it a reassuring squeeze. She had known, they all had.

Glimmer seemed equal part amused over managing to surprise her so thoroughly, and also concerned over whether or not she had put her a little too much on the spot. “The position as commander of Bright Moons military, it is yours if you want it Catra.”

Catra stayed quiet. This was it, the kind of opportunity she had so eagerly craved, but far grander in scope than she could have ever fathomed or hoped for. She had expected having to attone and prove herself for years before even being considered for the guard, nevermind this.

Glimmer seemed to deflate before her very eyes with every silent second passing by. “My apologies for putting you on the spot Catra. Of course, you will have as much time as you need to consider my offer.”

Catra squeezed Adoras hand back, let go and rose to her feet. “Queen Glimmer, I accept the position.” She said, sounding far more confident than she felt. “Thank you.”

“Then it is settled.” Glimmer proclaimed as she composed herself, sending Catra a heartfelt smile. “Congratulations, General Catra.”

Once again applause erupted around the table, smiling faces beamed at Catra as she grinned like an idiot, fighting to hold tears back; tears of joy this time as she felt Adoras strong arms wrap around her thighs and lift her high up into the air.

She mattered, she had love, she had friends; and no matter the struggles and setbacks she would face, they were going to win in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter again! Hopefully you found it worth the wait. Found it very challenging to write in places, but there's also some spots I'm quite proud of.
> 
> Comments, kudos and bookmarks are all deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and it has been years since I last wrote fiction, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.
> 
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.


	4. Spite and caffeine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW:  
> Self-harm. If you want to skip it, read to when a character goes out into the cold and then jump to the next scene break.

_The body was still warm, yet there was no life left in those glassy, lifeless eyes that looked back up at her; empty and yet so full of accusation. She had been too late to save her, and the knowledge of that would haunt her for the rest of her life._

_A faint shimmer at the corner of her eye drew her attention, the reflection of the lamplight in a nearby puddle, softly rippling next to the departed._

_She knelt down, ran a finger through the liquid before raising it to her lips._

_As expected the taste was salty, almost metallic in nature. Not blood. Seawater._

Adora stifled a yawn and flicked over to the next page of the Mer-Mystery novel Mermista had lent her. She was warm, comfortable, with a belly full of good food and Melog softly snoring at her side. By all accounts she was ready to hit the bunk and let night whisk her away, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so before Catra got back.

Of course there was nothing to actually be concerned about. Glimmer had merely asked her to stay behind for a while with her and General Juliet so they could get her up to speed and start the whole transition process. That had to have been around two, maybe three hours ago, but she guessed becoming the commander of a whole military was quite an involved process, even if Bright Moon's army really only consisted of the royal guard and a small militia.

It was going to be a massive responsibility, one that probably would eat heavily into the time they could spend together, yet she couldn’t help but feel happy for her girlfriend. Catra could be a bit of a slacker, but she also tended to grow restless and bored if she couldn’t find anything to dig her claws into, and Adora knew how intensely she was starting to dislike living on other people's generosity. Now she would have the opportunity to stand on her own merit, and to earn that recognition she had always pretended to not care about.

She yawned again as she closed the book and put it aside on her nightstand. It had been a long day, and the words were just flowing out of her mind again as soon as she had read them. Melog stirred in their slumber and she put her arm around them, absent-mindedly scratching their mane as she drifted out of consciousness.

* * *

The wind howled, weathered paneling creaking and groaning as gusts of cold air forced their way through the cracks into the dimly lit interior.

Imp blubbered joyfully as Rogelio brought another spoonful of mashed vegetables up to their face, growling jovially something that Lonnie guessed went along the lines of “Here comes the skiff!”. Imp dutifully obliged, hungrily chewing down as Rogelio carefully stroked crumbs and food splatter off their cheeks and prepared another spoonful.

She turned her eyes back to Kyle, sitting across the crooked table from her, clumsily patching up a torn coat with needle and thread. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, eyes uncharacteristically cold and determined.

“What?” Lonnie snarled. “Don’t you remember why we left in the first place?”

“I do, but is it so hard to believe people can change?” Kyle responded as he squinted back at his needlework, sighed and with a snap of his fingers created a small speck of light hovering above his hands.

“She’s trying to manipulate you Kyle!” Lonnie said, slamming her hands into the table as she rose to her feet. “Didn’t you see how she reacted when I called her out?” 

Rogelio let out a low, displeased roar, angry that she had startled Imp.

Lonnie huffed in response as she sat back down again and crossed her arms. “She’s not in the Horde anymore, they don’t let her get away with treating people like garbage here. The only reason she wants us around is so she can have someone below her in the pecking order again.” 

Kyle looked back at her with weary eyes. “Lonnie, what other options do we have?”

Lonnie clenched her teeth, answerless.

“We’re barely able to find enough work to pay rent, and it’s getting colder. If any of us get sick again…”

Lonnie sighed, turning her eyes down and away from Kyle. “I know, we shouldn’t have come here. First thing tomorrow we’re packing up and leaving.”

“And go where?” Kyle asked. “Even if we had somewhere to go there’s no way we could make the trip now, not without warmer clothes and extra rations.”

“I’ll think of something.” Lonnie said as she rose to her feet and stepped towards the door, grabbing a threadbare jacket on the way. “Heading out, I need some fresh air.”

Kyle looked like he was about to protest before he relented and just nodded. “Alright. Don’t be long, it’s cold.”

“Like I need you to tell me.” Lonnie barked, leaving before they could see her regret over the tone she had used. Don’t show weakness. Hide it, deep inside.

Slamming the door shut, and then again to make sure it stuck closed, she wrapped the jacket closer around herself and headed off into the alleyway. The cold stung in the moisture that started to gather in the corners of her eyes, but not as badly as the guilt that roared inside her.

Lonnie felt the pain in her knuckles before she even realized she had punched the wooden paneling of a nearby house, the stinging of cold against bloody scratches, splinters piercing skin. She struck it again, and again, and again. Every new hit dulling the pain from the last.

By the time she stopped she could hardly feel her hands anymore, just the relentless throbbing of bruised flesh as blood trickled down her fingers. 

She had failed them. They had trusted her, relied on her to guide them through it all just like she had always done, and she had failed them. It had been her idea going to Bright Moon. She had figured it’d be easy to find work there, relatively untouched by the war as it had been. She had been wrong, and now Kyle, Rogelio and Imp were paying the price for it.

She grabbed a handful of snow and meticulously started wiping away the blood from her fingers, the slush beneath her growing pink as it melted between her hands and dripped down. A wipe of her sleeve got rid of the tears. Kyle and Rogelio needed someone strong, so that was what she would give them. Show no weakness.

She turned around, heading back to the slummy apartment. For the first time in weeks she felt some sense of calm, the steady mission-focus she entered once she had something to direct it towards. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

Adora woke up to the sound of a pencil scratching across paper. It was still in the dead of night, though a single lamp over by the desk in the corner sent long shadows across the room. Catra was busy at work, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she shifted some notes around and continued writing.

“Hey love.” Adora muttered as she shifted herself up the pillow-pile behind her. “Long meeting and still not done?”

Catra turned her head, focused expression immediately melting away as her eyes fell on her girlfriend. “Hey hun. Did I wake you?”

“Maybe, but it’s alright.” Adora responded, stretching until her back popped audibly. “So, where’s the uniform? I was expecting to see you in the robes of the Royal Guard by now.”

Catra snickered. “Me, in that? No chance. People can hardly move or breathe in that relic, let alone fight. We’ll be getting new ones made.”

Adora rose from the bed, wrapped a blanket around herself and slipped her feet into some slippers. “Really huh? Almost going to miss seeing them around.”

“You still might. Just not as often.” Catra said as she went back to writing, her voice growing flat. “Spa… Queen Glimmer insisted we keep them around for ceremonial purposes.”

_She didn’t need to state it. Because they remind Glimmer of how things used to be when Angela was queen. Adora knew how heavy that particular mistake rested on Catras conscience._

“Uniforms aside, it’s weird seeing you productive.” Adora said, trying to shift the subject as she walked up behind Catra and started rubbing her shoulders.

“Pfft! You didn’t see me back when I was running the Horde.” Catra objected as she leaned back into Adoras arms, eyes closed. “Well, you saw me, but not during the office grind. Hated every moment of it, but I got good at it.”

“Bright Moon’s a bit different I hope?”

“It is, in all the right ways.” Catra said while gently prodding her stylus on a tablet. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy though.”

“Yeah?” Adora said, kneading deeper.

Catra bent backwards, looking up at her with a roguish smile on her lips. “Not sure if I’m at liberty to share that with a… civilian.”

Adora grinned back at her as she bent down and let their lips meet.

“On second thought.” Catra said hoarsely as they parted. “I guess I can make an exception for the Hero of Etheria.”

“Please do.” Adora let her hand run through Catras hair, twirling a single lock around her finger. 

“It was never much of an army.” Catra said. “Even calling it a militia was a stretch, and Juliet’s not the first one to retire for greener pastures now that war no longer threatens their homes and families. There’s only like a handful left with any actual experience under their belts. I’ll have to start from the bottom up. Recruiting, training, writing doctrine, making battle plans and so on.”

“That’s… a lot.”

“It is. But you know, I’m actually looking forward to it. I get to take things I know how to do and use them to protect those I care about. I’ll be running on love while doing it, instead of… you know, spite and caffeine.”

Adoras unabashed laughter made her smile grow. It was her most favourite sound in the world, and she made every effort to give Adora reason to make it as often as possible.

“So this is just me getting a good start. Putting my initial ideas down before sleep snatches them away.” She said before putting aside the stylus and her pen.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt your train of thought too much.”

“Not really. I’ve hit a wall and am tired as all heck. I’m just about ready to hit the bunk for tonight.” Catra said, locking the papers away in a drawer before turning to Adora again. “Especially if I’m hitting it hard, with you.”

“I believe that can be arranged.” Adora proclaimed as she quickly bent down, shimmied an arm beneath Catras knees and scooped her clean up into the air.

Catra squealed and squirmed with glee as she was carried off towards the bed. “How dare you! I’m a general!”

“I dare.” Adora chuckled as she laid Catra down on the mattress before kneeling down astride her hips. “And I’m ready to accept your surrender now, general.”

Catras breathing grew heavy, tense. Adoras fingers interlaced themselves softly with her own, pinning her hands down to the bed. “You’re going to have to work for it, love.” She whispered, hoarse with anticipation.

Adora smiled back at her, eyes filled with love as she shifted Catras hands upwards and gathered her wrists in one hand, letting the other slide down. “Oh, I fully intend to.”

Her free hand traced a finger down Catras collarbone, brushing slowly past her cleavage before settling on the topmost button, flicking it open.

* * *

  
  


It was almost as if the weather had decided to share in on her afterglow when Adora hit the town the next morning. The skies were clear and the sun bathed the whole valley with its warm rays. Children, and quite a few adults, were taking the opportunity to create sculptures or have snowball fights with the now damp, malleable snow.

Adora had the morning to herself. Catra and Glimmer had returned to their meetings and Bow had excused himself to work on one of his communication arrays that were acting up. She had no errands to run or presents to acquire, but had elected to head out anyway over staying indoors and immersing herself in yet another Mer-Mystery novel, reasoning that the fresh air and a brisk walk would do her good.

Besides, it was always a joy to get to meet and talk to the townsfolk. Quite a few she knew well and counted amongst her friends, and it was rare to not make new acquaintances every time she paid the town a visit. 

She suspected that one day she would tire of the fame and the inability to remain incognito, but in the meantime she enjoyed how open and eager everyone was to talk to her. At times it felt like a giant extended-family, a sentiment she had never enjoyed back in the Horde.

“Good day.” She greeted with a smile as she walked past a man clearing snow from around his home. He simply huffed in response, leaning onto his shovel as she passed by.

She kept the smile up until she was out of sight before letting it falter. Glimmer had warned her that today's reception might feel a bit colder, courtesy of Catra.

Besides yesterday's scene down by the town square she had predicted that a lot of people would take offense to her appointment to Juliet's old position, that many would consider it nepotism by both the Queen and Adora alike; and after Glimmer had explained to her what that word actually meant she guessed there could be a point in that.

Still, she could not imagine anyone on Etheria more qualified for the job, and it seemed like it had been the correct decision when one judged how methodically and committed Catra was approaching it. She was going to be a great general, and in due time people were going to come around to her.

It was not like the single grouch she just passed was representative of the whole town either. Most of the people she had met so far had been their usually cheerful selves.

Doubly so for the children. She ducked and weaved just in time to avoid a couple snowballs hurtling through the air, much to the delight of the group of kids that had thrown them her way. 

“Hey Adora!” Shouted a young girl. “Betcha you can’t take us in a snowball fight!”

Cheers erupted from everyone as Adora grinned, bent down and started packing snow together.

  
  


Some vague, half-forgotten lessons from the Horde about insurgents, guerilla fighters and how to best deal with them flashed uselessly through her head as another lump of snow hit her in the back of the neck, spraying down her collar. 

It was useless. She was outmaneuvered, outgunned and thoroughly outmatched. The kids were displaying relentless endurance and accuracy as wave after wave of projectiles sailed towards her from all directions; and just as soon as she went on the offensive with a soggy, half-packed snowball of her own they scattered like a school of fish and regrouped behind her. After what had probably been close to half an hour of her best efforts she had nothing to show for it but being tired, bruised and soaked to the bone.

There was nothing for it. The hero of Etheria sunk down to her knees and raised her hands above her head, and graciously the victors accepted her surrender.

“Can I get some of you on my team next time?” She laughed as the kids gathered around and she rose back to her feet.

Each and every child protested, explaining why that couldn’t happen and how the teams were already fair, all for different reasons. A dozen voices buzzed into a background drone as Adora subconsciously latched onto a single, faraway scream.

“I have to go.” She blurted out, leaping past the flock of children and leaving them behind as she ran all she could muster towards the voice.

“Help! Stop them! Thief” An old man yelled, pointing a crooked finger down a narrow alleyway, just as Adora saw the back of a hooded coat vanish around a corner.

 _Oh no, you don’t!_ She set off in pursuit, slipping and sliding through the wet snow with every step as she dove around the corner, catching a glimpse of the thief in the distance.

They were fast, but she was gaining. Adora pushed on, cursing her timing and having near exhausted herself on the snowball game mere moments prior. Her lungs were burning with every ragged breath, the temptation of drawing on her powers to end the chase growing stronger for every moment. _No, I am more than She-Ra. I can do this._

She hurdled across a barrel that had been tipped over in her way, and careened around the next corner. It was a dead end.

There was hardly time to process before she caught movement in the corner of her eye, someone charging out from behind the crates they had hid behind. The assailant slammed into her, rock-hard shoulder hitting her in the abs as hands grabbed hold behind her thighs, lifting her clean off her feet.

She had no time to muster a defense before she hit the ground hard. Winded and dazed, Adora looked at with confusion as the thief scurried back onto their feet and backed away. “Stay down! I don’t want to hurt you.”

Adora blinked confusedly. The voice, the takedown straight out of the training manuals… “Lonnie?”

The figure froze up, face still hidden beneath the hood but every inch of their body tense with adrenaline and onsetting dread. They took a step back, and another one. Head twisted from side to side, desperately trying to find a way out of the blind alley they found themselves in, one that didn’t involve having to go through the strongest being on the planet.

“Is it really you?” Adora rose slowly, brushing the worst of the snow off.

“Off all my cursed luck.” The thief raised a hand and pulled the hood back, confirming Adoras suspicions. “It had to be you, didn’t it?”

Adora had not seen her old friend in years, but even then she could see time had not been kind to Lonnie. She had lost weight and dark circles had formed around her eyes.

“So, what are you waiting for?” Lonnie said, throwing her arms wide. “Do your thing. Be the hero, take down the Horde scum!”  
She dug into a pocket, retrieving a modest coin purse that she threw to the ground at Adoras feet with a soft jingle. “It’s all there.” She snarled, face twisting as she fought to keep her calm.

Adora knelt down and retrieved the purse, keeping an eye up in case Lonnie was trying to distract and set her up for another attack, but wisely she stayed put.

“Lonnie, why?” Adora asked simply as she weighed the coins in her hand. It couldn’t be more than a few Silver Moons. Enough for a meal or two at most.

Lonnie visibly squirmed, mouth opening and closing without a word. Finally she averted her gaze and looked away. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Distant shouts and footsteps started echoing down the alleys. Clearly they wouldn’t be alone for long. Adora gave Lonnie one, long look before she let out a pained sigh. _Nepotism indeed._ “Hide behind those crates again, and don’t go anywhere.”

Lonnie looked back up again, visible confused. Adora furrowed her brows and gestured towards the pile of crates again. “You heard me. Hide.”

Finally the gears kicked into motion and Adora saw her shimmy out of sight as she herself turned and marched out into the alley she had come from moments prior. This was a stupid idea, but she had to try.

She hadn’t been a moment too soon. As soon as she had left the alley she found herself face to chest-height with a minotaur lady, carrying the old man Lonnie had stolen from on her broad shoulders. A handful of the snowball kids had also followed and were watching with curiosity from the back. 

“Oh, hey Bia.” Adora greeted, putting a name to the face of the minotauress. She ought to remember, Bia had fought alongside General Juliet in an effort to subdue her when Adora had first come to Bright Moon.

“Greetings Adora.” Bia spoke in a low barytone as she hefted the old man up from her shoulders and gently put him down on the ground. “Good hunt?”

“Afraid not. They’re long gone by now.” Adora said as she stepped forward and handed the coin purse over. “They dropped this though. I hope it’s all you lost?”

The elderly gentleman thanked her profusely as he dug through and counted every coin in the purse. Bia seemed less convinced, crossing her arms as she looked Adora up and down. “I thought She-Ra would not have trouble catching petty thief, no?” 

“Sometimes things just don’t work out.” Adora said, forcing out an embarrassed chuckle. _Why did she have to be such a shitty liar?_ “If they try again they probably won’t be so lucky.

She held Bias' gaze, unflinching. After what felt like an eternity the minotauress finally nodded, turning to the old man and offering him an arm to lean on as they started making their way back again. “Let’s hope not. Good day, Adora.”

It wasn’t until the crowd vanished behind the next corner that Adora finally started breathing easy again. Perhaps she couldn’t lie to save her life, but at least people trusted her. Trust she had just abused.

She half expected Lonnie to be gone when she went back for her, having slunk away into the shadows while Adora was busy trying to cover for her. A sense of relief washed over her when she peered behind the crates and found a pair of hazel eyes staring back through the shadows. Instructions obeyed to the letter, exactly as Lonnie had always done.

“So, I guess you expect me to thank you?”

Adora scoffed, no longer in the mood for games. “No, I don’t. I expected you to be better than this.” She saw the words cut deep, her voice softer when she continued. “What happened Lonnie? You were always about playing fair, sticking to the rules.”

“You don’t know the first thing about me, Adora.” Lonnie crossed her arms, guarded. “Things changed after you abandoned us.”

_Not this again. Though, she guessed she had left behind more than Catra that day._

“After everything you’ve seen this last year Lonnie, do you really think I didn’t do the right thing by leaving the Horde?” She sighed, running a hand through her own, messy hair. “Scorpia told me you left too before it all came crashing down, so don’t pretend like it was some kind of rose-tinted dream we could have chosen to stay in.”

There was a long silence. “Never said it was.”

_At least she didn’t seem to be a Horde nostalgic. Adora had had the misfortune to deal with a couple of those in the last months._

“Back to my first question. What’s with stealing from people?” Adora said, throwing a quick look over her shoulder to make sure nobody was going to stumble across them. “I know times are rough, but we have set up soup kitchens downtown, and with all the rebuilding there’s plenty of work to be found.”

“Not if you look like this!” Lonnie hissed, pulling open her jacket and showing off the grimy red and white Horde uniform underneath.

She could hardly bear to look Adora in the eyes, the sympathy and sadness filling them just made her feel even more rotten. Lonnie let go off the jacket and let it fall back in front of the uniform again. “People ask questions when you want work, Adora. They ask where you’re from, what you’ve done. Even if you try to hide it, sooner or later the truth comes out.”

She sighed loudly, closing her eyes so Adora couldn’t see the tears that were starting to form. “Rogelio got away with it for a while. He got work down by the dock, loading and unloading boats. Nobody could understand him, or even cared if they could as long as he continued stacking crates like he did. That is, until he got sick. Pneumonia.”

“How is he?” Adora asked, voice quiet with concern.

“Better now, though the treatment and medicine ate up all our savings.” Lonnie admitted, rubbing her eyes wearily. “We’re scraping by on a knife edge, and can’t afford to go anywhere else.” 

“Lonnie, why didn’t you just come up to the castle and ask for help. You know where to find us, Catra and I, and you know we’ll do anything to help our friends out.” Adora said as she put a reassuring hand on Lonnie's shoulder, feeling it tense up.

“Thanks, but we don’t need your charity.” Lonnie said coldly. “We’ll save up til we can get out of this place, and then you won’t ever have to see or hear from us again.”

“It’s not charity Lonnie. I was your friend once, I would like to be so again.”

“All the same.” The hardness had returned to Lonnie's voice as she brushed the hand away. “Stay safe Adora, and be careful about who you trust.”

Adora stood still as Lonnie strode past her, mushy footsteps slowly fading away into silence.

 _That could have gone better. A lot better._ She raised her head, eyes catching the towering spires of the castle rising above the rooftops.

Now was probably as good a time as any to call it a day and head home.

* * *

“There you are, finally! We’ve been waiting for… Adora, did you roll around in the snow or something?” The voice of Glimmer greeted her as soon as she stepped into the common room. 

The whole gang was there; Bow and Glimmer sharing a couch, Catra staring thoughtfully out into the world from her usual spot on the window sill. Even Micah was present, though it was not unusual for him to come spend time with them whenever he could. There was a lot of catching up to do for him and Glimmer.

“Oh, kids and snowball fights, you know how it is.” Adora chuckled, only for the laughter to die in her throat as she noticed the dour tone of the room and the grave expressions of her friends. “Guys, is something wrong?”

Glimmer sent Bow a faint nod, signaling for him to explain. “You know the comms array I was trying to fix?” Bow said. “Didn’t go so well, but before I fried the electronics I managed to download an urgent-flagged message to my pad. It… well.”

The master tinkerer looked pensively down at his screen. “Adora, it’s from Beast Island. From Entrapta.”

Adora felt a cold fist clench around her innards. Entrapta never sent messages.

“It’s only two words, but that’s quite enough for me to be concerned.” Bow said, lifting his head and catching Adoras gaze. “‘Come quickly’. That’s it.”

“But what does it mean?” Glimmer interjected frustratedly. “Has she made a new discovery she desperately wants to show us, or is she in actual danger and needs us to go help her?”

“I saw how well Entrapta took to the island last time. What could she have encountered now that would leave her in urgent danger?” Micah said thoughtfully, trying to offer his best attempt at a reassurance.

“Oh, I know exactly what.” Catra said sourly. “We’re all thinking it, I’m saying it. It’s him.”

The silence echoed across the room. Micah nodded gravely, conceding the point.

“You know Hordak better than anyone Catra, do you really think he would willingly do anything to hurt Entrapta?” Adora said as she started pacing the room.

Catra snorted, looking back out through the window again. “He was made to do one thing, Adora; to crush his master's enemies. You don’t easily shake that kind of influence. What if Prime left something behind, like a dormant program in a bot?

“I don’t think there is. I saw inside him when I drove Prime out, what’s left is all Hordak. For better or worse.” Adora looked around at the sceptical faces staring back at her. “It won’t do us any good to sit here and discuss what it might be though. Entrapta needs us.”

There were nods of agreement all around. Glimmer let go of Bow's hand and rose to her feet. “It’s settled then. We’re leaving for Beast Island right away. You, me, Bow and Catra.”

Micah cleared his throat. “Glimmer, would it not be best if I went in your stead? I know Beast Island better than anyone, and as Queen you have duties and responsibilities here at Bright Moon.”

“And as Queen I am also at liberty to appoint a suitable regent to handle those responsibilities in my stead.” Glimmer said sternly before her expression mellowed again. “Please dad. Entrapta is my friend. I need to do this.”

It took a few seconds before Micah mustered a weary but proud smile. “I understand. I will hold the fort here at Bright Moon while you’re away.”

“Thanks dad.” Glimmer replied, abandoning royal decorum as she wrapped her arms around Micah in a tight hug.

“Best friend squad to the rescue!” Bow shot to his feet. “I’ll get started packing.”

“Alright, I hope teleport-sickness isn’t tied to how long the jump is.” Catra groaned as she slid down from the window-sill and slunk up to Adoras side, tail winding itself around her girlfriend.

“Oh, we won’t be teleporting. I’ve never been there, and with it so far away and surrounded by the ocean it’s just too risky.” Glimmer replied as she and her father let go of each other.

“So, how will we get there then? Entrapta and Hordak took the ship so it’s not like we can fly there either.”

A mischievous smile grew on Glimmers lips, echoing the slow onset of dread that was starting to form on Catras face. “I’ve made the arrangements already.”

“No!” Catra protested as she made the connection in her mind. “Absolutely not!”

“Captain Sea Hawk will be waiting for us at Seaworthy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Also, I can imagine quite a few readers are frustrated by how I write, or rather how I avoid writing explicit sexual content and just imply what lies beyond first base. So I wanted to give my reasons for that.  
> One is that ultimately I don't want to stray too far away from the tone of the source material, and though I've gone up from GA to Teen that is still less of a jump than there would be if I went smut-heavy.  
> Second. I'm a straight, CIS man. I'd rather avoid fetishizing lesbian relationships if I can. These characters mean the world to me, and I think that just implying that they have natural, sexual desires which are fulfilled healthily, lovingly and with consent is the best, most respectful way I can go about portraying them.  
> Third. I am not confident I could write it up to a standard I would be happy with.  
> Fourth and final. There's plenty of people who already do it quite well, and chances are that if you are disappointed by my lack of smut you already know where else to turn for it.  
> I'll never say never, but if I ever change my mind it will likely be written as separate short-stories, to slot into the voids I am now choosing to leave in this tale. Thank you for your understanding.
> 
> Moving on. As always comments, kudos and bookmarks are all deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and I'm incredibly rusty when it comes to writing fanfic, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.
> 
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.


	5. Cast out the shadows

She was back. The frigid steel beneath her feet, the harsh lighting, endless corridors she had walked so many times before. 

She knew this dream well. This part she liked, a reminder of a new leaf turned, the first step back on the long road she had travelled so far down. It was what inevitably came after that made it a nightmare. The fear, the pain as sickly green fluid ran down her throat like liquid fire; his mocking voice as he assured her that Adora would die at his hands.

She paused to look at her reflection in one of the walls. A conqueror, victorious but abandoned and alone. She let her fingers trace up along the cool metal of her headpiece, the only memory left of a family and a life she had never had, knowing it would be the last time she would ever see it again.

Any moment she expected to hear them, to be torn out of her melancholy and indecision by children laughing, but they never came.

_Please, show yourself._ She turned to face the intersection she knew they’d appear at. Nothing. 

Her ears caught something, a faint murmur from behind, whispers she could not make out; but when she twisted around it was equally as empty. No clones, no memories of happier times, no Adora.

She started walking down the brightly lit corridor, her footsteps softly echoing off into the distance and blending with the whispers. Far off she could see a brighter light bathing the hallway in pure white, for every step she took it grew stronger, the voices louder and clearer.

_ "All beings must suffer to become pure!" _ They chanted, again and again.

She had suffered enough, had she not? Was there no way to rid herself of the pain; to rip it out, root and stem, at its source?

“Adora's on her way here. She's coming for you. I don't have to do anything, I just have to let it happen.” The words flowed out of her own mouth. Intense, determined.

The voices grew in intensity, a vicious frenzy as new words rang in her ears.  _ "Cast out the shadows! Cast out the shadows! " _

Her heart beat with confidence, every step towards the blinding light faster and more assured. “I can work my way up here, just like I did before.”

The light burned like fire, engulfing her and the hallway in pure white. The voices grew into an indiscernible roar, yet one single question rang out above all, crystal-clear.  _ “You would pledge your loyalty to me, Catra? What do you say? “ _ Every single word laced with venom yet so irresistibly sweet and comforting. 

_ “...I'm ready.”  _

The light consumed her, and when she emerged the clone chorus had gone, in its place the roar of engines and the thunder of thousands of marching feet.

The blindness subsided, her eyes coming into focus to behold her surroundings. She was back on Etheria, and before her stretched a grand, open road. She was not walking anymore, but was carried aloft on a grand howdah atop one of the Hordes hover-tanks.

Once again she was swathed in the white, silver and black of her master, yet this was not the simple garbs of a lowly acolyte, a slave. This was the uniform of one of his favoured, the trappings of a general. Her headpiece, now chromed and colourless, shone like a crown. Long, straightened hair flowed down her back like shadows.

Behind her, as far as her eyes could see, regiments of bots and soldiers of the Etherian horde marched side by side, white armor glistening in the sun. Between them massive tanks and other vehicles of war glid forward, barrels pointing triumphantly in the air. Above them countless drones soared through the skies, all under the watchful gaze of distant, dagger-shaped cruisers in low orbit.

It was an army unlike anything Etheria had ever seen before. So vast and mighty that no force on the planet could hope to oppose it, yet alone defeat it; and it was hers to command.   
But they were not marching to war, they were returning from it. Her eyes fell on the scores of civilians lining the road ahead, forced out at gunpoint by Prime’s bots to witness the victory parade of their conquerors. Or liberators. The difference all came down to whom were left to write the history books.

She beheld their faces as her tank glid past. Old or young, they all had the same emotions etched into their eyes. Fear, despair, any semblance of hope and defiance utterly crushed.   
Good. They had hated her, now they could fear her.

It was obvious where the parade was heading. Towering above them, scratching at the very heavens themselves, stood one of his great spires. In the shadow of which a congregation of clones stood, silently awaiting her arrival.

This had always been Adoras dream. Catra remembered it so well, how she had fantasized about bringing the Horde to victory, to bask in the adoration of her peers and her subordinates, all those grand plans laid back on that little rooftop only they knew about.

That felt like a lifetime ago now. And it was not Adoras dream to claim anymore, it was hers. She who had only wanted to share in it.

The tank ground to a halt, the army coming to an orderly stop behind her. Deafening silence embraced her, so alien after all the noise and racket of men and machines.

Straightening her back she dismounted the vehicle, leaping from foothold to foothold until her boots hit the road beneath. An honor guard of armoured, faceless soldiers stepped forward and formed up behind her, a handful breaking off to move to the back of the tank.

There was a faint rustling of chains, of locks being undone and weak protests as the unfortunate souls who had been paraded around behind her tank were shoved forward.

Rebels, traitors, high-born tyrants who had fought to keep people in their shadow and deny them Primes eternal light. The leaders of the shattered Princess Alliance now stood before her. Their garb torn and dusty, in chains, their spirits broken.

“I have waited a long time for this moment.” Catra proclaimed as she let her eyes glide over them all. A few, like Shadow Weaver and Mermista, stared back with defiance. Scorpia averted her gaze, and Glimmer clung to Bow with tears in her eyes; pale green runes flickering on her manacles for every futile attempt she made to teleport.

Catras eyes stopped at the woman standing in the front. Her blonde hair ragged and covered with grime, blue eyes shimmering faintly between loose bangs. Lips parted, dry skin cracking as Adora spoke. Not with defiance or anger, but with sadness. “I hope you enjoy it.”

Rage swelled in Catras chest.  _ Of course she could not enjoy it! _ Adora had seen to that when she broke her promise and abandoned her. They could have stood there together, basking in the glory of their shared victory, but Adora had robbed her of that when she chose the rebellion over her.

“You brought this on yourself Adora.” She snarled, turning to face the spire. “Every step on your journey took you further away from  _ this _ .”

_ Further away from me… _

She started making her way towards the clones, her guards shepherding the prisoners behind her. Every step echoing through the eerie quiet.

The clones bowed their heads respectfully at her approach. “Glory be to you honored sister, exalted champion of Prime.” 

Catra nodded a silent acknowledgement as she took her place among them, Adora and the rest of her enemies being thrown to the ground at her feet.

An electric howl pierced the silence, a buzzing grew in intensity until it felt like her eardrums would burst under the pressure as sickly green light streaked up the spire. Shapes formed out of thin air, a vast presence dwarfing them all in its shadow. Catra didn’t need to look up to know the form it had taken. She knew well enough.

A voice, amplified many times over echoed across the lands. Smooth, dripping of promise. “Rejoice Etheria! For your liberation is at hand. For too long petty tyrants and monarchs have held you under an iron yoke, letting you suffer in their shadows.

But they underestimated your resolve. It is by Etherian hands that these despots have been cast down, and it is by the power of your faith that you have been raised up into my eternal light.”

Catras gut wrenched.  _ What had she done? _

“Now I ask each and every one of you to cement that faith. Denounce your oppressors and their iniquitous ways.  _ Step into my light _ .    
Prime sees all. Prime knows all. Those who cling to their heathenous ways will not escape my judgement.”

The threat was left hanging in the air as the hologram shimmered and faded away. The crowds of Etherians were too far away for Catra to make out their faces, but even so she could see their quiet despair and hopelessness. Their mightiest champions had failed, and now there was nothing left but to submit to Primes will.

Heavy, solemn footsteps echoed behind her, the clones at her side parting and falling to their knees in worship. Her breathing grew ragged, tense, as she came to the realization that what she had just witnessed had not been a remote broadcast.

A large hand came to rest on her shoulder, forcing a gasp out of her as its crushing grip grasped hold and she felt the cold touch of a single, steel-clad finger.

“Victory suits you, general.” He said simply, letting his many eyes rest on the fruits of their labours. “Rejoice in this moment, for few pleasures in life are sweeter than seeing your enemies fall, and to be assured of the power you wield.”

Catra straightened her back. “Yes, Lord Prime.” She felt none of the sweetness or pride he was referring to.

“I intend to grant you more of these moments as I continue my crusade into the darkest corners of the universe. But first, there is one last matter to attend to here on this curious little world.”

He let go off her shoulder and slowly strode past her, hands clasped behind his back as he approached the chained rebels.

“Though you were mistaken in that I would need the princesses to access the weapon, it would truly be a waste to let such power be wasted.” Almost gently he let a clawed hand cup Scorpias chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. “I have great plans for you.”

Catra could hardly bear to look at the terror in her former friends face, yet she could not bring herself to look away either.

“For  _ some _ of you.” He let go of Scorpia, his eyes slowly shifting to Adora.

“What do you plan to do with  _ her _ ?” Catra asked, though she feared the answer.

“There is greater power still in making examples.” He said as he rose back to his full height, the smile on his lips not extending to his eyes. Primes eyes never smiled.

“What better way to show the universe that resistance is futile than to destroy one of its greatests champions?”

“You’ll be creating a martyr.”

“Possibly. But the memories of martyrs sour once their followers lose hope. One day they will curse the name of She-Ra for setting them down the path to destruction.”

Catra gritted her teeth. They both knew why Prime really wanted Adora gone.

“Besides, I would think you more than anyone would be ready to close the book on this sad chapter of history. Don’t you wish to right the wrongs of the past? To rid yourself of your pain?”

There it was. One final test of loyalty, a torch to her last lifeline.

“In fact, there could be no greater justice than to have the one most wronged deliver the sentence. That honour I hereby bestow upon you, Catra. A sign of my favour.”   
With a snap of clawed fingers one of the clones walked up to them, carrying a large object, swathed in white cloth. The clone knelt down before Prime, extending the offering in his hands.

Prime nodded sagely as he grabbed hold of the cloth and pulled it aside, eliciting audible gasps from both the captured rebels and Catra alike as they saw the sword.

It was not a true replica of the Sword of Protection, the blade Adora had wielded. The colors were all changed, the gold gone in favour of silver that glittered in the sun and the blue gemstone traded for a massive emerald, but it was obvious what had served as its inspiration.

“The finest artisans in my empire have toiled for weeks to create a weapon suitable for my general. This will be your shining beacon, Catra, with which you will bring my light to the darkest corners of the universe.” He proclaimed, once again placing a hand on her shoulder as he guided her forward to the sword. “And, with which you will end the line of She-Ra.”

The kneeling clone lifted the sword towards her. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and accepting it, one hand grasping the hilt and the other supporting the blade.

It was heavy, and much colder than she had expected. She had held Adoras sword before and that had always felt warm to the touch, even if it was made of metal. There were things that exquisite craftsmanship and wealth could never replace.

The spire roared again, this time drawing her eyes as she saw the hologram reform. Now it was not Prime that towered over the landscape, it was her.

The sound of struggle and rustling manacles drew her attention back down again as two clones grabbed hold of Adora and dragged her forward, forcing her down on her knees before Catra.

“Behold!” Prime bellowed as he stepped back from them, voice once again broadcasted from the spire. “The fate of those who would see you all suffer in darkness!”

“Cast out the shadows!” The clones started chanting, that all too familiar hymn that sent shivers down her spine. “Cast out the shadows!”

Adora raised her head, tearful eyes aimed squarely at her. She did not beg or appeal to Catra this time, as she had done so many times before. Catra could see it in her eyes. Adora had at last given up on her. The unbreakable had finally broken.

Catra clenched her jaw, twirled the sword into a two-handed grip and raised it above her head. The chants of the clones, the cries of despair from the princesses, the distant crowds protests and calls for mercy, they all faded away. Now there was only her, her and Adora.

_ “You look out for me, and I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.”  _ The childlike voice echoed in her mind, a memory from happier times.

Her grip tightened around the sword, claws digging into her own palms and drawing blood. Adora had broken her promise. She had betrayed her, taken from her everything she ever enjoyed.

“Break your shackles, little sister.” The voice of Prime intruded impatiently, the smile now gone from his lips too. “Cast out the shadows.”

“Yes.” She heard herself say, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to still her racing heart. A sense of tranquility and peace slowly seeped in, the tears she was fighting to hold back dried out, her breathing growing calm as she opened her mouth and spoke.

“ _ I promise. _ ”

Eyes flicked open, muscles tensed; her blade slicing effortlessly through air, flesh and bone. With a loud thud the severed head hit the paved stones, rolled over and looked back up at her with accusatory eyes. A second thud and the head of the other clone came to rest a few feet further away. Adora looked slack-jawed up at her as the two headless bodies slumped down at either side.

“What are you waiting for? To Glimmer!” Catra shouted as she recovered from the swing, spun around and threw the sword with all her might towards the princesses, the blade piercing through and shattering Glimmers manacles before embedding itself deeply into the road below.

Finally Adoras training kicked in and she leapt to her feet, the two women barreling towards the other prisoners, towards their only chance at escape. Adora shouldered past a clone, elbowing another in the face as Catra ducked and weaved to avoid the many hands closing in around her. Every step brought them closer, Adora leapt into Glimmers arms and extended a hand back for Catra to grab.

She never made it. A crushing grip grabbed hold around her neck, the chill of a single metal-clad finger against her throat, her legs kicking in free air as she was effortlessly lifted up off the ground.

Catra gasped, finding no air to cry out in pain and shock. She saw Adoras soundless scream, her resisting furiously as Bow and Glimmer pulled her back towards them. Primes grip shifted slightly, giving her just enough breath to weakly choke out a single word.

“Go.”

Glimmer nodded back, and with a flash of light and a soft trail of sparkling dust the princesses and the rest of the rebels vanished in thin air.

What they left behind was total chaos. Clones aimlessly mulling about, terrified of attracting Primes ire. The Etherian civilians were in full upheaval, rocks mercilessly pelting the soldiers, bots being toppled and crushed before the Horde went back on the offensive and started scattering the rioters with swings of their batons.

Catra forced out a defiant smile at the thought of Primes publicity stunt backfiring so spectacularly, even as he threw her to the ground and a handful of clones came forward and pinned her down. “You see  _ all  _ you say?” She coughed. “I don’t think you saw that one coming!”

If a look could kill Primes furious snear would have done her in immediately. Never before had she seen such primal hate, anger and disgust. She knew she was done for, that she had just signed her own death warrant; but that didn’t matter anymore. Adora was safe, and one day she would destroy Prime and his empire; of that Catra was certain.

“I raised you from nothing, bestowing honour and glory upon you, and this is how you repay me?” Prime said, voice low and sinister. “You think your new friends safe? Your treachery has only bought them time. My hand is long, and it will find them again.”

With a snap of his fingers the very air around them started swirling and shifting, the cries and gunshots echoing from the riots replaced by an eerie quiet as their surroundings shifted to a cathedral of steel and pale green light. They were back on his ship, the  _ Velvet Glove _ , and before them laid a still pool of sickly green fluid.

“All beings must suffer to become pure.” He said. “Your suffering will be greater still. A fitting punishment for your treachery and faithlessness.”

She struggled furiously to break free as strong hands pulled her around to the far end of the pool, to a platform suspended above the glossy surface. Rigid restraints of metal were clamped shut around her waist and her ankles, anchoring her to the platform as the clones let go, quickly stepping out of reach of her claws. Her hands had been left free, for all the good it would do her. Prime enjoyed seeing the wayward beg and reach for him even as he plunged them into the pit below.

Her claws left no marks in the steel as she squirmed and scratched. “You’re right to be afraid.” She spoke, a sardonic smile forming on her lips as she saw Prime tense slightly, one of his many eyes twitching. 

“Adora will come for you, and for all your might, all your armies, you won’t be able to stop her.”

There it was, the family resemblance, the fuming anger and gritted teeth that hid fear and doubt. Far more subtle than Hordak, but still there.

The platform started descending, green liquid washing over it and around her feet as she held his gaze defiantly. She too was afraid, but refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.

The liquid rose, soaking and seeping through her clothes. It was cold to the touch, yet singed and burned against her skin like acid. Discomfort grew to pain, then to agony. as it washed ever upwards. She gritted her teeth, holding back the scream that wanted to escape.

Slowly a smile started growing on Primes lips again. “Painful, yes? I shall make sure your Adora learns of your suffering. That should bring her out of hiding…”

The scream came, full of rage and fury as the restraints pulled her under the surface, her throat burning as the liquid ran down, filling her lungs with wildfire. She pulled and twisted with everything she had, but the steel held her fast.

The struggle loosened her headpiece and it drifted away, out of her reach. Countless bubbles rose from it as the acid etched away, slowly stripping off its chrome covering to reveal the red metal beneath. Then her eyes failed her and she was left to agonize in darkness. There was only pain, and his baleful voice echoing through her mind.

“Her suffering will be yours tenfold, Catra.”

“Catra.”

“Catra.”

_ “Catra!” _

She startled awake, and would have fallen out of her hammock were it not for the strong arms cradling her. Her heart raced until her eyes fell on Adoras worried face, their arms meeting in embrace as she clung to her. Melogs concerned whines slowly subsided.

“Hey Adora.” She croaked out, voice almost drowning out in the creaking and groaning of their cabin. Still on a ship, just a much more pleasant one.

“Hey love. Nightmare?” Adora asked groggily, shifting one hand behind Catras head to steady her. 

Catra sighed deeply. “Yes.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No I… Maybe later.”

Adora gave her a dejected look, but did not press the issue further as she moved to gently tuck her in under the blanket she had tossed off.

“Actually.” Catra stopped her with a soft hand on the wrist. “I’m heading out for a bit. Need some fresh air to clear my head.”

“Okay. You know where to find me.” Adora said as bent down and gave Catra a quick peck on the forehead and a sad but loving smile before she stepped away and shimmied herself, rather ungracefully, back into her own hammock. 

It was with considerably more grace that Catra extracted herself from her own and let her feet hit the deck, Melog greeting her with a low chirp before slinking back under Adoras hammock. She quickly dressed herself before the cold night air could seep into her skin, sneaking out of the cabin just as Adoras breathing shifted back into the rhythmic pattern of sleep.

She walked quickly past Glimmer and Bows cabin, made her way to the ladder and climbed up onto the main deck, closing the hatch behind her. Save for some faintly glowing crystals marking the outline of the ship there was no light up here, but her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness. Helped by the fact that it was a cloudless sky and the light of countless stars shone down on them.

She leant onto the railing, her gaze drawn upwards to the glittering sky above. For most of her life she had never even known stars even existed, but now that they were there she found herself inexplicably drawn to them. They had helped keep her sane back when she was Primes prisoner and had nothing to do but endlessly gaze out the viewports, and now that she was with Adora there were few things she enjoyed more than the times they would sneak out onto Bright Moons rooftops, lie down and watch the starry sky spin slowly above them. Every time and without fail Adora would bend over her, look her deeply in the eyes and tell her she could see the whole universe in them, and that they were the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

The memory brought a smile to her lips, but it was short-lived as the still fresh nightmare forced itself back into her consciousness. The pain,  _ him _ , and her own mistakes…

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” A voice sounded from the quarterdeck, startling her before her eyes focused in on a familiar silhouette by the ship's helm.

“Whenever I and my beloved Mermista are apart I like to think that at least we share the night sky, with the very same stars shining down upon us both.” Sea Hawk said, a tinge of longing in his voice. “But that was perhaps not why you came up here?”

It wasn’t, but that was not something he needed to know. Catra let out a sigh, running a hand down her tail to flatten her fur. “I figured I’d check on you. Make sure you hadn’t fallen asleep or anything so we’d drift right past the island.”

Sea Hawk chuckled. “Not a chance. Sea Hawk does not fall asleep on his watch! Besides, you and your friends handled the  _ Dragon's Daughter VI _ splendidly during the day, so I got plenty of shuteye.”

“You’re welcome I suppose.” Catra stepped closer to where she could make out his facial features, arms crossed. “It went better than I expected. Me and the sea are not exactly friends.”

This time the chuckle grew into laughter. “The sea is not anyone's friend. Though fair and beautiful, she can also be wild, unpredictable and cruel. You’re wise to fear her.”

“I’m not afraid!” She huffed, tail twitching. Another lie. Fear had shaped and defined her whole life.

Sea Hawk shrugged. “There is no shame in fear. When you’re afraid is the only time you can truly be brave.”

Catra rolled her eyes, almost missing the loud, boisterous and decidedly non-philosophical Sea Hawk from yesterday.

They sat in silence for a while, only the soft rush of the sea and the wind keeping them company.

“Believe it or not, there was once a time when the sea used to fill me with dread too.” Sea Hawk suddenly said, as if the conversation had never ended. Catra turned to him, ears flicking up with curiosity, though she held her tongue.

“I was but a young lad, the lowest of the sailors on my mothers vessel, the  _ Sea Dragon _ , the fastest ship on the ocean. Crewing her was hard, backbreaking work, but I loved every moment of it.

“One day, when up in the mast tops furling the mainsail before a storm, my feet slipped and I fell. I missed the deck, plunging deeply into the sea by the side of the ship. By the time I managed to get to the surface the ship was but a speck in the distance. I cried for help, waving as I threaded the water; but the waves washed all around me and the ship did not turn around.

“I do not know for how long I floated there. Whether it was mere minutes or hours. All I knew was that I was alone and lost, thunderous gray skies above and inscrutable depths below. Sometimes I thought I felt something large brush against my feet, but whenever I looked I saw nothing but the endless deep blue below.

“When the ship finally came back for me it was a different man they pulled out of the ocean than the one that fell in. I would never again sail with my mother, the very mention of the open sea terrified me. So on land I stayed. It was not until my mother was long gone that I finally dared face my fears. How dearly do I wish she could see me now.”

Sea Hawk went quiet again, glancing down at his charts before turning the helm ever so slightly.

Catra cleared her throat, unsure how to best respond. “Umm, thanks for telling me, though you didn’t really make me any less afraid than I was before.”

She bit down on her tongue, silently cursing her choice of words, practically admitting to the fear she had just denied. Though she guessed it hardly mattered in this case after how Sea Hawk had opened up. Besides wasn’t that something Adora kept yammering on about? That it was okay and natural to let yourself be vulnerable?

“There’s no quick and easy way to master your fears. It takes time, and people that support you on the journey.” Sea Hawk said, as a bright smile grew under his mustache. “In the meantime, I know of one of the best ways to draw your mind elsewhere for a short time. Care to join me for a shanty, a friendly duet under the stars?”

Catra snickered, wrapped her jacket closer around herself and moved to leave. “Thanks, but perhaps another time.”

Sea Hawk raised an eyebrow. “I understand. Stage fright isn't unheard of when you get paired with the one and only Sea Hawk!”

Catra stopped in her tracks, exhaling deeply before she started chuckling to herself. Played like a fiddle. She had no idea Sea Hawk was the type. “Alright, let’s see if you're as good as you say…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Hope you all enjoy it. This was one I looked forward to writing, and I ended up really happy with how it came out.  
> This was actually the first half of a much longer chapter that I decided to cut up to avoid it becoming obscenely long. As a result of that I'm already pretty deep into the sixth chapter, so hopefully the wait for that won't be too long!  
> That said, I did just start in a new job and have just moved, so a lot of things are still up in the air on how much time I'll get to devote to writing from now on.
> 
> Finally, with the last day of 2020 coming to a close I want wish you all a happy new year. Though it ended up being a good year for me personally I am fully aware that for a great many people it brought numerous challenges and no small amount of suffering. I can only hope that 2021 will be better for you in that regard. Be strong, be brave and we'll win in the end.
> 
> As always comments, kudos and bookmarks are all deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and I'm incredibly rusty when it comes to writing fanfic, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.
> 
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.


	6. Welcome to Beast Island

Adora woke up just as unpleasantly as her partner had done hours before. A startled scream, arms reaching out next to her before she remembered they were sleeping in separate hammocks; and more importantly realized that Catra wasn’t even there.

Her absence didn’t have to mean anything. She could have come back to bed, slept and just risen before her. Unusual as that would be.

Adora rolled herself out of her hammock, bending down to give Melog scratches behind the ears. They looked back at her silently, holding back the usual content purrs and chirps.

“Please don’t tell her. She’s got enough on her mind as is without worrying about me.” Adora said, rubbing her eyes with the other hand, heartbeat slowly settling back into its usual rhythm. Melog stared back at her, still expressionless.

“Okay, I’ll talk with her once we’re done on the island. I promise!”

Melog blinked slowly in acknowledgement, finally letting out a satisfied chirp.

She quickly went through her usual morning routine. A short bodyweight workout, brushed her teeth, got dressed and put up her hair before heading out, holding the door open for Melog to follow.

Almost immediately she bumped into Glimmer, bursting out of the galley with four steaming mugs in her hands. “Oh hi Adora! Want me to get a cup of tea for you too?”

“No thanks, I’m good.” Adora said as she shifted back to let Glimmer past. “So Catra’s up already?”

“Heh, yeah she certainly is. That’s why I’ve laced this one with honey.” Glimmed said, tilting up one of the cups. “You know, for her sore throat.”

Adora cocked an eyebrow. “What sore throat?”

“From staying up all night with Sea Hawk, singing!” Glimmer chuckled as she continued on her way to the ladder. “She really could stand to do that more often. She’s got such a beautiful singing voice.”

With no free hands to climb with, Glimmer blinked her way out past the ladder in a shower of sparks, leaving a very perplexed and confused Adora behind.

“Ohoi there Adora!” Bow beamed at her from the quarterdeck once she emerged onto the deck. “Not like you to sleep in. You missed the show!”

“Hi Bow, and yes I guess I did.” Adora replied, stretching until her back popped audibly. “How far out from the island are we?”

“Sea Hawk said we should see it in about an hour, if the wind holds.” Bow said, a sliver of dread creeping into his voice. “I never thought we would ever come back here, Adora. I had hoped not to.”

“Hey, it’ll be alright. This time we’re prepared, and we’ve got Glimmer and Catra with us.”

“And possibly one genius ex-warlord against us. He’ll have had plenty of time to prepare.”

“We will be cautious.” Adora said simply as she let her eyes run over the rest of the ship. She didn’t remember the exact ordinal of this one, but it was a substantially larger and more practical vessel than the lightning-quick sloops of the past. Perhaps that was Sea Hawk making a concession to the fact that he now mostly moved supplies to help rebuild Salineas instead of smuggling goods under the Hordes noses.

Glimmer blitzed around the deck, handing off cups to Sea Hawk and Catra before blinking up to Bow to enjoy theirs together.

Catra stood leaning against the foremast, eyes ahead on the horizon. She was back in the same suit Entrapta had made for her aboard Darla, with the addition of a black jacket and a pair of tall boots to keep the cold air away. The sight made Adora grin a little. She had embraced that look herself for years, and now Catra just waltzed in and took it for herself.

Catra took a deep draught of the tea before letting out a content sigh. “That hit the spot.” She croaked, voice still gravely. “Hey Adora, slept well?”

“Like a stone.” Adora lied as she gave Catra a quick peck on the cheek. “How about you?”

“Better now.” She leant up against Adora, a quiet purr emanating from her throat. “Sea Hawk helped me get some distraction and distance, and now that I look back at it it was no worse a nightmare than I’ve had before. Painful, but I still made the right choice in the end.”

Those words piqued Adoras curiosity on so many levels, yet she didn’t have the desire or energy to start ripping open old wounds again, so she broached the easy subject.

“So, singing. Since... when?”

Catra chuckled and let a clawed hand run through and gently ruffle Adoras hair. “Don’t want you to think you’ve got me all figured out now hun. I’ve done it for years, since before you left for the rebellion.”

“Huh, so that’s why you snuck off for alone time.”

“That and for other reasons. That dofus over there...” Catra pointed her thumb over at Sea Hawk. “just happened to know the magic words to unlock that box. The swinging from the masts and the sing-along when Arrow-Boy and Sparkles got up I also blame on him for cracking open that cask of rum.”

Adora stuttered out a series of dejected scoffs before Catra interrupted her with a playful jab and a kiss on the cheek. “I’m messing with you! There was no cask and very little rope-swinging. We’ll save that for a time you’re there.”

“You’re too kind.” Adora laughed, grabbing Catra in her embrace. The two wrestled playfully on the deck, giggling loudly as Catra squirmed to dodge the smattering of kisses she were subjected to.

“Those two seem to be in a much better mood today.” Glimmer said, nodding towards Adora and Catra up near the bow.

“You can hide a lot with a smile. They’re still tense and nervous.” Bow replied before taking a long, thoughtful sip of his mug.

“They’re not the only ones.” Glimmer said as she slid an arm around Bows waist and pulled him in close. “I know you didn’t want to come here. I just want you to know I’m glad you’re here with us. With me.”

Bow smiled back at her, wearily but also warmly. “Thanks. You’re right, I didn’t. This place terrified me last time.”

“I’m… sorry I couldn’t help you then. I hope things will work out better now that we’re all here.”

“I’m sure they will.” Bow said as he turned to her and embraced her in his arms, his eyes still locked forward to the vast fog bank stretching ominously across the horizon.

* * *

The fog devoured them, making it near impossible to even see from one end of the ship to the other, nevermind actually charting a course by anything other than dead reckoning.

Adora had taken up position at the prow of the ship, sounding the depths ahead by tossing a lead and line into the waters below and counting the knots running through her hands.

“Forty fathoms, no bottom!” She called out over her shoulder as she started reeling the rope in again, Catra coiling it up behind her and readying it for the next toss.

“How can we even find something in this bloody fog!” Catra hissed as she worked, her mood having soured pretty quickly once they entered the mist. The moisture was clinging to her, soaking her to the bone.

“You got to have a little faith in Sea Hawk. He knows what he’s doing.”

“We’re still talking about the same Sea Hawk that arranged for Bow, Swift Wind and himself to be kidnapped as a bonding exercise, right?”

“Eh, not his brightest moment.” Adora shrugged as she let the line run through her hands again. This time the rope grew slack before she had reached the end.

“Bottom! Thirty fathoms!” She called out as she reeled back in again, arms running like pistons.

“Aye Adora! Glimmer, Bow, reduce sails!” Sea Hawk echoed back through the fog, the faint shadows of their friends starting to duck in and out of the mist as they sprung to action.

“Is that good or bad?” Catra asked, voice tense.

“We don’t know yet. Twenty-five fathoms!”

Dark, craggy cliffs and rocks drifted out of the white, like skeletal fingers grasping for them. Catras heart galloped in her chest as Adora called them out and Sea Hawk responded with minor course corrections; every time slipping narrowly past the rocks and reefs that would have torn asunder the ships sides like paper.

Slowly the fog started lifting again, a vast shape forming ahead of them. Jagged cliffs of obsidian and metal scratched at the pale sky, ancient runes and symbols glowed faint blue from every surface.

“There it is. Beast island.” Adora stated simply, catching her breath now that the waters ahead seemed clear of rocks eager to tear the ship apart.

“Somehow it even looks less welcoming up close than the stories made me think.” Catra said as she stepped up next to Adora. Her hand extended ever so slightly out from her hip, and Adora grasped it firmly with her own. “I never should have sent Entrapta here, or let her go a second time.”

“This time it was her own choice to make.” Adora looked at her, faint smile on her lips. “Sometimes we do strange things for the people we love.”

Catra rolled her eyes at that. “Alright, that’s enough sappiness. Are we gonna sail closer or are we going to have to swim the rest of the way?”

It took another grueling hour of sounding and navigating the reefs before they managed to bring the ship into a secluded bay that Sea Hawk felt it was safe to drop anchor in. Rocks and alien metal towered high above them, offering an uneasy shelter from the stormy weather the gray skies bore promise of.

Glimmer looked around with apprehension as the others gathered together the backpacks and supplies they were bringing ashore. “So… Do any of you have an idea where to start looking for them? Where did you find Entrapta last time?”

“Strictly speaking she was the one that found us.” Bow answered as he looked down the shaft of one of his arrows. “She didn’t really have a main camp or base of sorts. Just moved from place to place in that giant robot of hers.”

“Hordak’s also part of the equation now, and he’s not much of a vagabond.” Catra interjected. “He’s the type that digs in and fortifies. Last time he got stranded somewhere he built the Fright Zone as we know it.”

“Maybe. They also took with them a lot of gear and equipment from both Dryl and the Fright Zone before they left in Darla. Chances are they wouldn’t want to keep dragging that through the jungle on their backs, so they probably set up camp near where they landed.” Adora said as she shouldered her backpack and started to adjust it.

“That narrows it down. A ship of that size needs a lot of space to land.” Bow said. “Maybe next to that First Ones temple she showed us?”

“As good a start as any.” Adora said, looking around at her friends. “Are we ready to hit the beach?”

There were nods and voices of agreement as they all grouped up next to Glimmer.

“I wish I could come ashore with you too. You certainly could use a swordsman and adventurer of my caliber.” Sea Hawk said as he leant back against the mast, twirling one end of his mustache.

“We certainly could.” Adora said. “But we need a ship to return to once we’re done, or someone to mount a rescue if things go south. As we discussed, two days without word or sign from us…” The implication was left hanging in the air.

Sea Hawk nodded simply in response, watching as the group joined hands and in a flash of light vanished from the deck.

They arrived in the middle of a jungle. A labyrinth of metal, alien flora and shadows surrounding them on all sides. Relics of First Ones tech melted and corrupted into all kinds of weird and twisted shapes. The ground felt spongy beneath their feet, layers upon layers of decaying matter and vines covering up the sand and rock below.

“I think I’m getting used to this whole teleporting thing.” Catra said before her forced smile grew queasy and she fell to her knees beside Melog, retching. “No, no I’m not.”

Bow and Adora comforted and helped her back on her feet as Glimmer eyed their new surroundings with suspicion. There was no sign of the sky through the thick canopies and overhangs above them, yet there was also no absence of light. Large gems and crystals, orbs and engravings all bathed their surroundings with their glow.

“So, does anything of this look familiar to you?” Glimmer asked, to which both Bow and Adora shook their heads.

“No, but that’s the thing with this place.” Bow said. “Everything looks more or less similar wherever you go. The same crazy shapes arranged in slightly different patterns. It’s very easy to get lost here.”

“I know a way to help with that.” Catra said, gently brushing Adoras hands off of her before she unsheated her claws and carved a large arrow deeply into a nearby monolith. “This direction is as good as any to start heading in, and if I keep leaving these we’ll at least know if we cross our own paths.”

“That’s actually pretty clever.” Glimmer agreed. “Let’s head out, and be sure to keep an eye open for any signs of Entrapta.”

“Open for any signs really.” Bow muttered uneasily as he shifted his backpack around on his shoulders. “There are plenty of angry, ravenous creatures on this island. Let’s not let them get the jump on us.”

Everyone nodded gravely in agreement before they set off through the jungle. Adora took point, with Catra following as she kept marking their course. Glimmer and Bow made up the rear, the master inventor watching out for anything trying to sneak up behind them.

“So, how many of the stories we were told about this place as kids are actually true?” Catra asked, not quite being able to hide how tense she felt. “I heard about the… Pookas? But what else is there?”

“The Pookas are pretty bad. The giant snake monsters are worse. But the real danger of this place is something else the First Ones left behind.” Adora pushed aside a curtain of vines to let them pass through. “Near the center of the island some kind of signal is being broadcast.”

“Signal?”

Adora nodded. “Over time it… gets to you. It forces its way into your head and starts preying on your vulnerabilities. Every regret or fear you have, it amplifies it until you lose the will to keep fighting and the island consumes you.

Catra looked at her like she had just seen a ghost. “And you’re telling me this only now?!”

“We’ve fought through it before. We can do it again.”

“I’ve fought through a lot of bad things in my life. Doesn’t mean I want to keep doing it.” Catra grumbled. “And the center of the island is where we’re heading to start with?”

“Pretty much, unless we run into a better lead before we get there.”

They continued walking, the alien vegetation seemingly growing thicker for every step they took, yet Adora was reluctant to summon the sword and cut a path through. As guardian of Etheria her responsibilities were just as much to its plants and beasts as it were to its people; and even if she could not make out whether these plants were native to Etheria or some kind of twisted manifestation of the First Ones meddling with nature she did not want harm upon them.

Not so much for Glimmer. The constant stumbling and tripping over roots and slippery ground was getting on her nerves, and the island was gnawing at her in other ways besides the purely physical. The young queen soon huffed and grumbled loudly as she forced her way through the thick vegetation after the others.

Bow was the first one to notice they were being watched. Bright glowing eyes peering at them from the shadows, flickering away into the darkness as they drew his attention. 

“Either they think the four of us are too much trouble to be worth a meal, or they’re waiting for a better moment to attack.” Bow said as he nocked one of his trick-arrows but kept his bow undrawn.

“I can tip the odds towards the former.” Adora stated simply, raising a hand in the air. “For the honour of Grayskull!”

The ambient light paled in comparison to the radiance coming from She-Ra’s towering figure, reflecting off the bare metal, crystals and watchful eyes around them.

It seemed to do the trick. Whatever creatures were following them kept their distance.

Mercifully the jungle opened up a little as they dipped down into a low vale, the trees and vegetation giving them some respite. What looked like a game trail ran through it, the ground torn up and disturbed where countless feet had strode through before them.

Adora knelt down for a closer look. Some prints she recognized from their last visit, brief as it had been, but others were foreign to her. One set in particular caught her attention, and she called over for the others to come look.

“Whatever it is it has a lot of legs.” Glimmer remarked, a pointed finger gesturing down the path where countless of the same indentations ran in close to parallel lines. “Some kind of big centipede?”

“Try massive.” Bow said, voice tense as he dipped a clenched fist down into the hole the creature's legs had left behind, like a giant stake had been hammered into the ground and then withdrawn again. It swallowed his arm up to past the elbow. 

“Just look at the size of these tracks, and the width between them. Thing’s probably larger than anything we’ve seen before, both on the island or off it.”

Catra scoffed. “Bigger doesn’t mean more dangerous, just clumsier. I have some experience on the matter.” She bared one of her fangs in a grin and gave Adora a quick wink. “If we stumble across it we shouldn’t have much trouble losing it again if we break off into the trees, or Sparkles teleports us.”

Adora chuckled, raising her sword high to illuminate their surroundings as she looked around. “Unless I’m mistaken, if we take a left here and stick to this trail it should bring us close to the center of the island. It’ll be quicker than wading through more jungle.”

Bow furrowed his brow in response. “Adora, this is a game trail. Big, scary creatures move, hunt and eat here. Are you sure it’s a good idea to follow it?”

Adora put a large hand on his shoulder. “You’re right Bow, but we’re also running out of time. We can do this, as long as we stick together.”

Bow straightened his back and mustered a smile and a nod in reply. “Okay. Best friend squad style.”

“Best friend squad style.” She promised.

A faint roar echoed in the distance. Primal, and unlike anything they had heard before. All around them the treetops rustled slightly as birds and flying creatures took flight, afraid to stay put.

“That… sounded mean.” Bow said as he stared down the trail, towards where the sound had come from. “And like it’s heading this way.”

“Then let’s hide!” Glimmer blurted out as she grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the treeline and a cluster of large, glowing crystals. Adora, Catra and Melog followed suit, and not a moment too soon. Even as they ran they could feel the ground shake slightly under their feet, and hear the sound of trees cracking and snapping further down the trail.

“Good crystals.” Catra said with a hushed voice as they shrunk in behind the gleaming rocks. “Even a Princess won’t out-glow these.”

What started as a faint thunder in their ears grew as the creature approached, the sound of dozens upon dozens of feet hammering into the ground and then extracting themselves shortly after. A massive form grew out of the darkness under the trees.

A vast, segmented body stretched into the distance, borne aloft on tall, insectoid legs. A gargantuan, centipede-like monster easily three times the length of the ship they had arrived on. It had no discernible jaw or mandibles, its head featureless save for a single, bulbous eye jutting out of its green, chitinous hide.

Adoras hands were shaking. The resemblance to the creature she had encountered on her way to the heart was only superficial, yet it emanated the same air of overwhelming power and dread. Another relic of the First Ones? A parting gift specifically tailored to counter a rogue She-Ra? She had never felt so powerless as she had been in that moment.

As suddenly as it had loomed into view the creature came to a halt, lifting its front legs off the ground with a metallic groan as the head slowly panned its surroundings. Vigilant, and seemingly very much aware of some foreign presence.

Adora dove down out of view and pressed her back against the crystal as the head swiveled in their direction. Hand, still trembling, reached out for Catras, and once again only found empty air.

She twisted around, catching a glimpse of Catra as she slunk out of cover and darted to a tree, closer to the creature. “What are you doing?! Come back!” She mouthed, not daring to raise her voice.

A pair of mismatched eyes looked back at her. “Trust me.” Catra answered simply before she stepped out from behind the tree and walked out into the open, out of Adoras view.

Adoras jaw fell slack as she tried in vain to process what had just transpired. Then another ear-piercing groan from the leviathan snapped her back. She leapt to her feet, summoned her sword and ran out after Catra; with Bow, Glimmer and Melog hot on her heels.

Catra was standing out on the trail, hands balled into fists, her whole body tense yet she stood her ground. The head of the creature towered above her, staring her down with its cyclopean eye.

“Congrats, you found me!” She shouted up at the behemoth, expression twisting into one of annoyance as she turned to see Adora and the others run up to her, weapons drawn and ready for a fight. “I asked you to trust me.” She whispered sourly out the corner of her mouth.

“What are you even on about?” Adora said, gripping the sword in both hands as she interposed herself between the creature and the others.

“Adora, remember who we’re looking for.” Catra stated simply as she stepped around the imposing form of She-Ra and took point again. “It’s not a creature, it’s a machine.”

Adora looked back at the creature, the realization slowly dawning on her as she now saw metal moving in the joints of its chitin-like armour, gears churning and pistons contracting and extending with every movement. A robot, larger than she had ever thought possible to create.

“I didn’t want to show Hordak our hand early, which is why I wanted you to stay out of sight.” Catra continued as the giant machine slowly relaxed from its reared position and lowered itself to the ground, earth shaking as the legs drove down into the rock again.

Adora kept her sword at the ready, though fear and worry was now being replaced with indignation and anger at how unreasonable Catra was acting. “How was I supposed to know that?!”

“I didn’t have time to explain it, which is why I simply asked you to trust me.” Catra said, voice growing louder. “But apparently that was too hard when you also need to save everyone all the time!” 

She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, and even more so when she saw Adoras expression drop, then harden again.

As Adora opened her mouth to reply she was interrupted by a loud whirr and the hissing of steam as a long ramp started lowering from under the robots head, the bright light of the interior casting long shadows onto the ground.

“Friends!” The familiar, shrill voice rang as a squat figure bounced down the ramp, purple pigtails trailing behind her. “What are you doing here?”

Adora felt some weight come off her chest at the sight of Entrapta, alive and apparently healthy. In fact she hardly seemed to have changed one bit since they had last seen her all those months ago. Adora lowered her sword and let go off the magic that gave it physical form. It vanished in a soft glow.

“It’s good to see you Entrapta.” Bow said as he put away his own weapon. “We came as soon as we got your message.”

“Oh that’s nice!” Entrapta replied as she scuttered between them, prehensile hair jotting down observations on a datapad. “What message?”

They all stared at her in disbelief, though Entrapta seemed to remain oblivious to their confusion as her attention bounced between admiring Bow’s collection of new trick arrows and taking dirt samples from the ground.

There was an angry twitch in one of Glimmers eyes. “ So are you saying you got us all here for nothing?”

The sudden outburst caught everyone's attention. Even Entraptas. 

“Not for nothing. There’s all kinds of fascinating scientific discoveries we’ve made that I must share with...”

Glimmer tried bringing her to silence with a raised hand, which Entrapta paid no heed as she started spouting technical jargon that went in one ear and out the other for her listeners. Bow and Adora watched on with apprehension as they saw the queen grow increasingly tense with every passing second.

“Entrapta!” Glimmer barked, the science princess freezing up in the middle of her lecture. She looked back at the queen with shock, like she didn’t quite understand why she was being shouted at.

“This place is dangerous.” Glimmer continued, slightly softer this time; almost worried. “We shouldn’t be here. And you shouldn’t either.”

Entrapta looked at Glimmer like she had just told her Etheria was flat. “But my work isn’t done yet, and I also can’t leave…”

“Enough! I’m sorry Entrapta, but I should never have agreed to let you go. Not here, and not with him. You need to come back with us.”

Everyone stood in silence, watching as it seemed like Entrapta shrunk and shriveled away before their gaze. Hair flopping down to the ground, the spark that had been in her eyes when they first saw her now gone.

Catra scoffed audibly and stepped forward to Entraptas defence, Melog bristling silently behind her, but just as she opened her mouth to speak another voice echoed down at them from the ramp leading up into the robot. A threatening growl she recognized all too well.

“I would be very appreciative if you could stop antagonizing my lab partner, your majesty.”

Steel-clad steps echoed down the ramp as the tall, imposing figure descended to their midst. At once so similar and yet so different from the warlord that had nearly brought Etheria to heel. Hordaks hair and eyes were back to their original shades of blue and crimson, and the gem Catra had twice torn from his armour glittered at the center of a sturdy gorget around his neck. The familiar gown was now draped across his own broad shoulders rather than the armor that had held his disintegrating body together, and now trimmed in the royal purple of Dryl. 

“It was fortunate that you received my invitation.” Hordak stated grimly as he took his place beside Entrapta and let a clawed hand rest on her shoulder. It was hard to tell whether the gesture was possessive or caring, but it seemed to perk Entrapta up a little.

“We have much to discuss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, the second half of the "giga-chapter" I was working on. Probably made the right choice splitting this one up.  
> Though I've looked forward to writing the coming chapters I nevertheless cannot promise they will arrive quickly. Life and work both are pretty busy on my end, leaving little time for writing.  
> Especially so as I am about to start my first proper cosplaying project, and from this very franchise to boot! I hope to post a link alongside a future chapter when I have something to show. 
> 
> As always comments, kudos and bookmarks are all deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and I'm incredibly rusty when it comes to writing fanfic, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.
> 
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.

**Author's Note:**

> Ended too soon? Don't worry, I hope to continue the story as soon as possible with more chapters.  
> Comments are deeply appreciated. Constructive criticism is as well. English is my fourth language, and it has been years since I last wrote fiction, so any feedback that I can take to heart and use to improve my writing would be great.  
> Do you have any particular wishes for characters you want to see again or ideas expanded upon? Feel free to share them. I won't guarantee they'll happen as I already have plans for most of the characters in the series, but you never know.


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